Saturday, January 28, 2006

INSIDE THE PYRAMID: YUZU

In "Inside the Pyramid" we'll explore single notes used in perfumery.

Today's entry is dedicated to Marchlion and will explore Yuzu.

Yuzu, a citrus fruit indigenous to East Asia and whose rind and juice are often used in cooking and perfumery, has an aroma similar to a grapefruit, with a lemon-like tang.

Though the fruit itself is often full of seeds, and therefore not commonly eaten as a grapefruit might be, the juice and zest are used in everything from salad dressings to marinades, and more recently, in baked goods.

As a fragrance note, yuzu is often employed as a topnote adding a sparkling crispness to a composition, and is commonly used to frgarance baths in Japan, especially in winter.


Some of my favorite fragrances with Yuzu:
  • Rykiel pour Homme
  • Alain Delon Samourai 47
  • Agatha Brown Conquest
  • 06130 Yuzu Rouge
  • L'Eau par Kenzo pour Homme
  • L'Eau d'Issey pour Homme
  • Jaipur Saphir pour Femme
  • Dior Remember Me
  • Archipleago Botanicals Yuzu Body Mist
Additionally, Archipelago Botanicals has an extensive yuzu-themed bath and body line.

Learn more about Yuzu: GourmetSleuth.com

Have you ever tasted yuzu? What's your favorite yuzu scent?

6 comments:

marchlion said...

Hey, thanks! Is there one you'd choose as the most straightforward yuzu? (I am assuming the Archipelago or the Yuzu Rouge). FWIW I feel a little bad about sneering at the Gap Scent Edition scents. The yuzu, peony, red currant, oakmoss etc. smelled more interesting than a lot of mainstream scents at that price point.

marlen said...

My pleasure. Don't feel bad about diss-ing the Gap scents...Haven't they all been discontinued anyhow? As for most straightforward, Archipelago is the simplest scent at the lowest price, but as it is a body spray, I doubt it's going to have the longevity you might hope for. But, if you layer a few of the products - shower gel, body lotion, etc, the scent might project more. That being said, I love Rykiel homme with its minty-yuzu opening and violet and woods drydown. None of the scents listed really offer a prominent yuzu note, but still, you can tell it's there in the topnotes! Hope this helps! Thanks for reading and posting!

katiedid said...

I've never tried the Delon Samourai 47 - how does it compare/differ from just regular Samourai? (I mean the mens', not the ladies'.)

marlen said...

K - 47 is an odd one - bright fizzy yuzu with an "ume" or sweet plum note, set against a typical blend of Japanese notes including hinoki cedar, gaiac wood...very unusual and totally different from the original Samourai. http://www.alaindelon.com

marlen said...

Sergey - No, I didn't forget it, I just really don't like it! LOL Smells like an orange Lifesaver to me.

AnyasGardenPerfumes said...

I have tasted yuzu, in a viniagrette and various sauces, the most notable at Nobu on South Beach. It is available here sometimes. Lately the shadducks, aka pomelos are in season, and they are very close in scent and flavor. yuzu is a welcome addition to the perfumer's palette, arriving on the scene in the past few years. Before that, it was practically unknown. Seems much of the rind is processed in Korea, after being shipped over from japan. No, I don't know why!