Hello plant friends,
The arrival of autumn feels like the perfect time to celebrate the essence of bergamot. As the the colours of summer change their hues and fall begins to roll in with some last sunny days, I think of Bergamot which brings lightness, an uplifting energy. Energetically it is perfect to those that feel overheated by the transition and want to balance overactive thoughts and emotions to create emotional clarity and ease.
Bergamot, hailing from the sunny orchards of Calabria in the heel of southern Italy, is a material I use frequently in my perfumes. Its versatility allows it to merge with almost any other material, bringing lift and diffusion without the typical sour note that is associated with Citrus oils, making it one of my favorite ingredients that I'm always tempted to include in every fragrance I create. It is fresh and clear, yet warming and quite long-lasting which is a rare feat for an essential oil.
Today, I’ll share with you the rich history of bergamot and how it has evolved in recent perfume compositions. As we step into the golden hues of fall, bergamot becomes more than just a top note—it becomes a reminder of the warmth that lingers as the seasons change. Enjoy!
With love, Merle
In your box this month:
Bergamot FCF free premium oil and a muslin bag with Earl Grey tea.
CAPUA 1880
We sourced this premium Bergamot oil through our Italian wholesalers, who partner with a renowned, family-owned company I had the pleasure of meeting in Grasse last summer. This company is the global leader in Bergamot processing, responsible for handling 60% of Italy's total essential oil output.
The oil is cold-pressed and then rectified to remove furocoumarins, which means it is non-phototoxic and safe for use on the skin. This makes it ideal for perfumery, allowing it to be used more freely without the risk of allergenic reactions or increasing sensitivity to the sun.
Sunshine, a light which, for a want of a better word I can only call yellow - pale sulphur yellow, pale lemon gold. How beautiful yellow is!
- Vincent van Gogh, the letters of Vincent Van Gogh, 1914
Etymology
While the etymology of the word itself is up for some debate, many trace it back to the Turkish word beg-armudi, meaning “prince’s pear”; others think it relates to the Italian city of Bergamo.
Citrus bergamia, the bergamot orange (pronounced /ˈbɜːrɡəmɒt/), is a fragrant citrus fruit the size of an orange, with a yellow or green colour similar to a lime, depending on its ripeness. For Bergamot oil used in perfumery, usually the unripe fruits are used/
Genetic research into the ancestral origins of extant citrus cultivars found bergamot orange to be a probable hybrid of lemon and bitter orange.
The Bergamot tree is a small tree with with wonderful smelling flowers that smell like neroli. The fruit can be eaten and is used in food, it's juice often transformed into citric acid used in drinks, howver the Bergamot and its fragrant oil that is coming from it's oily peel are best known in perfumery.
Bergamot in colognes and perfumes
Eau de Cologne is a type of eau de toilette that was first developed in Cologne in 1695 by the Italian immigrant Gian Paolo Feminis. He named his fragrance "Aqua Mirabilis." Before his death, Feminis passed his secret formula to Jean Antoine Farina, who continued to produce the well-known product. His relatives carried on the development and exported Eau de Cologne to various other cities. As a result, in 1709, several formulas of Eau de Cologne were created, all featuring bergamot oil as a characteristic ingredient, my favourite being 4711.
Following the development of Eau de Cologne in 1709, bergamot quickly became established as a fundamental ingredient in perfumery. Its bright, fresh aroma, characterized by citrus and subtle floral notes, made it an ideal top note that could enhance and elevate other fragrance components. This essential oil is an ingredient in about one-third of men's perfumes and in half of women's perfumes.
Our supplier- Founded in the heart of Calabria, Italy, Capua 1880 has over a century of expertise in producing the highest quality essential oils. They specialize in cold-pressed Bergamot oil, which undergoes a rectification process to remove furocoumarins, ensuring that the oil is non-phototoxic and safe for use in skincare and perfumery. Their commitment to sustainability and innovation has made them a trusted name in the fragrance industry worldwide, however, I would favor to work with a smaller company, but we haven't found them yet. I long for a sourcing trip to Calabria to find our dream supplier.
The Bergamot tree (Citrus bergamia) is a small, fragrant citrus tree native to the Mediterranean, particularly thriving in the coastal region of Calabria, Italy. Like most citrus, bergamots are in season from October to March. While the plant originated in Southeast Asia, most of the world's supply—a whopping 80%—comes from Calabria, the southern region that is Italy's “shoe,” but it's also grown in the Ivory Coast, the south of Turkey, Brazil, and China.
I was looking to find a find a video on the Bergamot harvest and stumbled onto this video of which I think it is pure poetry and a true testament to the plants, the region, the scenery, the legacy, the philosophy and ultimately the olfaction even if is indirect because we cannot smell the bergamots but it leaves it all to our imagination.
Giovanni Baptista Ferrari (1584 - 1655) was a botanist based in Rome. He published in Rome in 1646, the first book entirely devoted to citrus fruit, with many depicted in actual size. In cooler parts of Europe, citrus fruit was grown in orangeries starting in the 17th century; many were as much status symbols as functional agricultural structures. Ferrari was the first scientist to provide a complete description of the limes, lemons and pomegranates. He also prescribed limes, lemons and pomegranates as medicinal plants against scurvy. Giovanni The engravings were done by the Dutch printmaker Cornelis Bloemaert. I love these highly detailed drawings with ribbons that match the colors of all the different fruits that Ferrari drew.
Earl Grey
It is thanks to the tea that the name of bergamot became popular. This austere fruit with bitter flesh, resulting from the natural crossing of the lemon tree and the bitter orange tree is rarely consumed. It is principally used in Earl Grey tea- and in perfumes it is often used to create the illusion of 'tea'-notes.
- Astier de Villatte Trois Perfumes Historiques
I love how simple things like a cup of tea can bring so much comfort. Earl Grey, with its unique blend of bergamot, has a way of creating calm in the midst of chaos. I added a bag of my favorite to your box to get to know bergamot more deeply. Take your time to savor this tea.
Bring the water to a boil and then let it cool slightly. The ideal water temperature for Earl Grey tea is between 90°C to 95°C. Let the tea steep for about 3-5 minutes. The longer you steep, the stronger the flavor, but be cautious not to over-steep as it can make the tea bitter.
Reach out or say hi
Thank you so much for joining me in my adventure through perfuming materials, navigating plant intelligence and smelling stuff! Would love to hear your thoughts.
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