Perfumes with Petitgrain

Petitgrain smells fresh, green, woody and slightly bitter, a citrus close to neroli but leafier, sharper and less floral, much like a crushed orange leaf. It comes from the leaves and twigs of the bitter orange tree, Citrus aurantium, with Paraguay as the main producer.

The oil is obtained by steam distillation of the leaves and twigs. Its French name means little grain, because it was once made from the tree's small unripe fruits. Petitgrain mostly sits among the top notes. It pairs well with bergamot, neroli, lavender, lemon, rosemary, vetiver and musk, and it is a classic cologne ingredient.

Petitgrain appears in 2,589 perfumes in the Fisfis catalogue and is used mostly as a top note.