You’ve probably never eaten a bergamot orange, given their extremely acidic taste. What’s more, you might not have even seen one growing, unless perhaps you’ve visited the southern region of Italy where they’re mostly produced. However, you definitely have smelled bergamot before, as it’s one of the most common citrus scents that is featured in both candles and perfume. Read on to learn what bergamot is, what bergamot smells like and where this unusual citrus fruit comes from. We wrap up by highlighting some of our favorite candle scents that incorporate bergamot into the fragrance.
What is bergamot?
Bergamot is a plant that belongs to the citrus family. It’s technically an orange, but it has a green-to-yellow peel and yellow flesh, which distinguishes it from other common oranges, such as navels, mandarins and clementines. Unlike most other oranges, the pear-shaped bergamots are almost completely inedible due to their acidic, bitter flesh. Instead, they are mostly grown for their peels, which are used in teas, fragrance and so on. (More about the uses of bergamot below.)
The name “bergamot” comes from the French bergamote, which came from the Italian bergamotta, which is named for the town Bergamo. However, the word is ultimately Turkish in origin, coming from the word bey armudu or bey armut, which means “lord’s pear” or “prince’s pear.” It’s not known if the name refers to the fruit’s pear-like shape, or if another citrus fruit such as a lemon was crossed with a pear tree at some point back in history.
The bergamot orange should not be confused with the bergamot herb, which is a perennial native to North America. The herb bergamot produces tubular, leafy stalks that are topped by brightly colored flower clusters in purple, pink and red. The herb bergamot belongs to the mint family and encompasses several varieties, including lemon bergamot (lemon mint), wild bergamot (purple bee balm) and orange mint (something confusingly referred to as simply “bergamot”).
If you see bergamot referenced on a label, check to see if the plant in question is the bergamot orange or the herb bergamot. Sometimes, bergamot citrus oils are adulterated with the oils from bergamot mint or other plants such as rosewood. In Italy, the primary producer of bergamot, the production of the essential oil is regulated to ensure the highest quality product.
What does bergamot smell like?
Like other fragrances from the citrus family, bergamot does have that classic sweet-yet-tart smell. However, bergamot also brings its own floral, spicy edge to the acidically appealing scent. It’s highly fragrant and, in fact, bergamot is what gives Earl Grey tea its notable scent. Bergamot is a very versatile scent and pairs well with many other fragrances, including jasmine, rosemary, sandalwood, vetiver and ylang ylang. Bergamot may also be used alongside other citrus scents, including orange, lemon, lime and grapefruit, to further enhance the citrus fragrance and add a different dimension to the fragrance profile.
Where does bergamot originate from?
While the bergamot orange plant originally comes from Southeast Asia, it is now primarily grown in the southern regions of Italy. Confusingly, the Italian town that the plant is named after–Bergamo–is located in the north, where the citrus plants do not grow. Instead, the bergamot orange is primarily grown around the Ionian Sea coast of Calabria in Southern Italy.
In fact, the crop is so important to the region that the fruit is the symbol of the city Reggio di Calabria. Reggio di Calabria has a special agency of the chamber of commerce, Stazione Sperimentale per le Industrie delle Essenze e dei Derivati dagli Agrumi (SSEA) (Experimental Station for the Industry of the Essential Oils and Citrus Products), to regulate the production of oil.
The fruit is also produced in Argentina, Brazil, Algeria, the Ivory Coast, Morocco, Tunisia, Turkey and Southeast Asia. Italy, however, is still the primary producer of bergamot oranges and oil. During World War II, when Italy wasn’t able to export to the Allied Powers, some replacements did come on the market from Brazil and Mexico. These imitation products were made from other citrus fruits, such as sweet lime, as opposed to the genuine bergamot orange.
How else is bergamot used?
While you might not have heard of bergamot oranges, the scent has many applications. It’s one of the most common fragrances in perfumes and candles thanks to its strong, complex, unique scent profile. The rind is also a critical ingredient used in Earl Grey tea, contributing to both the scent and taste. Anything that is “Earl Grey” flavored or scented is likely to include bergamot orange. Bergamot also comes in essential oil form, which has many different applications. Some people like to add a few drops to beauty products, apply it topically on their skin or hair or ingest a few drops in their beverage.
Applying undiluted essential oils can be a bit harsh for your skin, so you may want to dilute the bergamot oil with a gentle carrier oil, such as almond oil, before applying topically. As with all essential oils, keep bergamot away from your eyes in case of irritation. If you do apply it topically, keep in mind that citrus essential oils, including bergamot, make the skin more sensitive to UV rays put out by the sun, tanning beds and sunlamps. Don’t apply the oil before exposure to UV rays.