ORANGE ZEST

Orange zest focuses on the fragrant outside of the fruit: the lively smell released when orange peel is handled or grated. It combines a fresh peel accent with the rounded sweetness associated with orange. The emphasis is on aromatic skin rather than just a glass of juice, although the two impressions can overlap.

Sweet orange peel is the source of cold-pressed Citrus sinensis oil, which Robertet describes as zesty, sugary and aldehydic. Further processed orange oils also exist, so a zest note does not identify one extraction or formula. In perfume, it can sharpen a sweet fruit impression, brighten flowers or suggest fresh peel beside warm spices. Its role depends on the surrounding accord; “zest” is a sensory emphasis, not a guarantee of strength or longevity.