LEMON CONFIT

Lemon confit describes a composed lemon impression whose character depends on the perfume. A sweet interpretation can suggest candied citrus, keeping lemon brightness while adding a dessert-like quality. Other versions have a sharper, saline edge: Boadicea the Victorious describes its Lemon Confit accord through a fizzy citrus impression and sea-salt effects. The name alone therefore does not mean caramelised lemon peel, vanilla or a rich lemon tart.

This is an accord, a blend of fragrant materials used to create an olfactory idea, rather than one standard botanical extract. A perfumer can use the contrast between citrus brightness and sweeter or salty-smelling facets to give the lemon theme another dimension. Reading the surrounding notes helps distinguish a gourmand treatment from a more marine one. Neither the recipe nor the lasting power of the finished perfume can be deduced from the term confit.