What does Mandarin smell like?
Mandarin smells of freshly peeled fruit, with an almost candied sweetness and a touch of bitter zest. Green mandarin is tarter and fizzier. Red mandarin, picked ripe, is sweeter and rounder. A floral facet close to neroli makes it warmer than other citrus notes. Some people pick up a faintly smoky hint. On skin it evaporates fairly fast, like all citrus. It still leaves a bright impression that softens the opening of a perfume. Next to sweet orange it feels more velvety. Next to bergamot it is less green and less bitter. It is the citrus to choose when you want freshness with no sharp edge.
Origin and production
Mandarin (Citrus reticulata) is native to China. For perfume, the most prized oils come from Italy, mainly Sicily and Calabria, though Brazil and Spain also produce it. The oil is cold-pressed from the peel, with no heat. Depending on harvest time there are three grades: green early in the season, then yellow, then red from fully ripe fruit. Each is sweeter than the last. Limonene makes up about 70% of the oil, followed by gamma-terpinene. The marker of mandarin, though, is a molecule present at under 1%: methyl N-methylanthranilate. It gives the floral, slightly smoky facet and sets mandarin apart from orange. Like every pressed citrus oil, it oxidises in air, so a bottle left open for a long time loses its sparkle.
How perfumers use it
In the top notes, mandarin brings a rounded freshness that makes an opening friendlier. It pairs with neroli and bergamot, basil, warm spices, rose and vanilla. Jo Malone Lime Basil & Mandarin makes it a star, with lime and basil. Guerlain places it at the heart of Mandarine Basilic, with peony and green tea. Louis Vuitton Afternoon Swim pairs it with blood orange for a poolside cologne. In orientals it brightens vanilla, as in Shalimar and in Libre, where it sits next to lavender. For men, Paco Rabanne 1 Million and Invictus pair it with grapefruit. Chanel Allure Homme uses it with bergamot before vetiver and cedar. Because it fades fast, perfumers often prop it up with neroli or orange blossom.
How to wear it
Mandarin works all year, especially in spring and summer. On its own it does not last, so top up a mandarin cologne during the day or spray it on clothing. In a richer perfume it acts as a cheerful opening and suits anyone who finds lemon too sharp.
