MANDARIN BLOSSOM

Mandarin blossom joins an airy floral impression to the sweet, tart brightness of citrus. Think of blossom threaded with fragrant zest, rather than a straightforward fruit-juice note. Its appeal lies in that meeting of petals and freshness: it can make a floral composition feel more open, or give a citrus perfume a softer flowering aspect. The balance between sweetness, zest and flowers depends on the perfumer’s interpretation.

Maison Francis Kurkdjian describes mandarin blossom as a recreated floral note with facets of the fruit. This offers a useful example of an accord: several fragrance materials form a recognisable impression together. The name is not proof of an extract from mandarin flowers. It should also be distinguished from mandarin peel oil and from neroli, the distilled flower oil of bitter orange.