A Pear That Isn’t A Pear, It’s Divine Citrus!

Have you heard the word Bergamot? Bur-ger-mot? Well if you have you may well know it’s a citrus ingredient in Earl Grey and Lady Grey tea, as well as a historical oil used in perfumery but what you may not know is that in Turkish it is called “beg-armudi” which translates to “The Prince’s Pear”. But how can a Pear be a Citrus fruit? Confused? Don’t be, read A Pear That Isn’t A Pear, It’s Divine Citrus!

Image on left-hand side Abi Perkins

In Turkey, to this day, the fruit is used to make a rather wonderful marmalade. Yet Bergamot first came into vogue at the court of King Louis XIV of France in the 16th Century as a traditional Eau de Cologne where aristocrats commonly wore Bergamot-scented perfumes.

So how did it end up as a popular well-loved perfume ingredient? There was a time when washing was definitely out of favour. Wealthy members of society would often wear a pomander, balls made for perfume hung around their necks. These heavily scented pieces were filled with perfumed notes to hide the stench of body odour.

Also, it was used in traditional medicines throughout Renaissance Europe, as it was believed to have curative properties to keep a fever away.

Pieter Janz. Pourbus, An Unknown Lady, Holding a Pomander on a Gold Chain

It is one of the oldest scents to be used in perfumery and comes from the Citrus Bergamia, a small tree that blossoms during the winter. Its fruits are bobbly yellow-green sphers that look somewhat between a lemon and a lime. But don’t eat it. The fruit is very bitter; sweeter than lemon but more bitter than a grapefruit. It’s primarily grown in the province of Reggio di Calabria in Italy and around the Mediterranean. 

It is still highly prized for its essential oil, which is extracted using the cold-press method. This method ensures that the oil doesn’t lose any of its unique character or aroma. The rinds of the fruit are pressed to extract the oil from within the cells of the peel. 

One of the reasons the oil is also used in scent is not just because of its uplifting ability but also because it is prized for its ability to combine with an array of scents to form a bouquet of aromas that complement each other as well as working as a kind of fixative making other notes last longer.

So what aroma does it give off? Think fresh citrus notes with a slightly floral and sweet aroma that is unmistakable. Bright, luminous, and with uplifting- zestiness it is usually found in the top notes of a fragrance bringing a vibrancy to the blend.

As it is bright fresh light and even vital it is still used as a major component in what may well be called a Solar-Style scent. Reminiscent of a bright summer day think of sitting on a coastal beach in Italy breathing in the sun sand sea and numerous fruit trees.

It’s this almost emotive feeling that Trudon has captured in a bottle and a candle combination; and unveiled an elegant summer capsule collection. This original duo, Isla de Oro, is composed of a perfume, Isla, and a scented candle, de Oro. Both highlight the world of the Bergamont in all its bright glory.

As Trudon explain:-

Picture an Andalusian palace: an elegant silhouette walks towards an immense balcony window that overlooks a fragrant garden and Mediterranean islands in the distance. The fruity, citrusy freshness of the Isla fragrance, imagined by perfumer Emilie Bouge, brings the setting to life.

A noble ingredient revered in Haute-Parfumerie, bergamot brings universal modernity to Isla: come the evening, the highly crafted citrus note is the perfect attire to attend an evening, from a golden sunset moment to the halo of the first lanterns lighting up as night falls. More faceted, the Oro candle reveals a complex bouquet of bergamot, orange, and gardenia.

Isla the scent opens with earthy warm notes of grassy Vertiver and warm Musk, that melds with heart notes of bright-freshness of sunny Bergamot, fresh Mint, and aromatic Rosemary. Its base echos the scent back with more bright Bergamot sunshine grapefruit and warm spice of Cardamom.

The De Oro scented candle is made of an exquisite bouquet of Bright Bergamot, Zingy Orange, and Floral Gardenia.

This simple ingredient has a wealth of history to go with it. Including the fact that it was used in the ‘first’ style of perfumes to be commercially available. Eau de Cologne refers to a perfume which is usually refreshingly light, unisex with a citrus-based head note.

Initially was a major component of the original Eau de Cologne composed by Jean-Marie Farina at the beginning of the 18th century in Germany. His subtle Bergamot  Eau de Cologne became rapidly famous worldwide and in the 18th century was an indispensable accessory at all royal courts

Here with this new duo from Turdon, of the rather odd fruit, we see it has been moulded into a modern luminous scent; that brings new facets to the world of perfumery

We are fascinated and enchanted by this ingredient and are still finding new ways to explore and be delighted by it.

To explore all the Trudon Collections please visit Trudon.co.uk Here

If you enjoyed reading A Pear That Isn’t A Pear, It’s Divine Citrus! then why not read London Gallery Weekend Here

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