Botanical Spotlight: Bergamot

We are indisputably one of Mother Nature’s biggest admirers here at CRANBOURN^®.

When it comes to the power and beauty of the natural world, we are endlessly inspired. Discovering new plants, flowers, herbs and spices to use in our luxury fragrances brings us so much joy, and getting hands-on is one of our favourite parts of the creation process.

In our Botanical Spotlight series, we will delve into the scientific, cultural and olfactory roots of the key botanicals from our fragrance collections.

The bergamot orange is an Italian citrus fruit from the family Rutaceae, genus Citrus and species C. bergamia.

Citrus fruit with a difference

The word bergamotto named after Bergamo in Italy, this small fruit is unique and distinctive.

Bergamot is a hybrid of bitter orange and lemon, or bitter orange and lime. This combination has resulted in a fragrant and unusual fruit generally around the size of an orange, with a colour often similar to a lime.

The fruit is too bitter to be eaten, but it can be preserved in marmalades. The juice is more widely used, occasionally drunk but primarily used in place of lemons in baking and flavouring, along with the rind.

Most famously, bergamot plays an important part in both Eau de Cologne and Earl Grey tea.

More than meets the eye

When it comes to practical uses other than in food, bergamot has been used for hundreds of years in ancient medicine and aromatherapy.

In Ayurvedic medicine, bergamot has been used to help treat countless ailments including skin conditions, sore throats, bladder infections and more.

Bergamot essential oil is a popular choice in the fragrance world. The beautiful fruit is incorporated in two CRANBOURN^® luxury fragrances: our enticing Sunset in Ibiza™ fragrance and our evocative Soirée à Marrakech™ fragrance.

To delve deeper into the history, biology and uses of the diverse botanicals in CRANBOURN^® fragrances, explore our extensive botanicals directory.