Perfumes with bergamot, so fresh they will drive your senses crazy

Bergamot is a small, greenish citrus fruit, somewhere between an orange and a lemon, and in perfumery it is worth its weight in gold. Its scent is fresh, sparkling and slightly bitter, and it almost always sits in the top notes: it is the first thing you smell when you spray. But it also knows how to step back and bring light to florals, spices and woods.

If you want to get to know this note properly before choosing, we explain everything in our article on what bergamot is and what it smells like: where it comes from, how its essence is obtained and why it features in so many perfumes.

And if you already know it is your thing, our bergamot perfumes collection brings together every divain fragrance that contains it. Here we have picked six that show it off especially well: for women, for men and unisex.

What do bergamot perfumes smell like?

A bergamot perfume usually smells clean, bright and full of energy. It is a citrus that is less sharp than lemon and more refined than orange, with a slightly floral, bitter edge that makes it unmistakable. Depending on the notes around it, the result changes a lot:

• Fresh citrus: with mandarin, lemon, orange or aromatic herbs such as rosemary.
• Floral: with orange blossom, jasmine, tuberose or rose, bergamot adds a sparkle that lightens white flowers.
• Oriental and gourmand: with vanilla, caramel or tonka bean, it balances the sweetness and stops the perfume feeling heavy.
• Spicy and woody: with pepper, ginger, cedar or vetiver, it brings freshness to intense compositions.

divain bergamot perfumes: our selection

divain-924

A citrus fragrance for women with bergamot in the starring role. It opens with bergamot and bitter orange blossom, moves into a heart of lavender, almond, orange blossom and coumarin, and settles on musk, ambroxan and woody notes. Fresh at first, then soft and enveloping: the kind of perfume you reach for every day without thinking.

divain-222

For men, a fougère with character. Calabrian bergamot arrives with pepper in the top notes; the heart blends Sichuan pepper, lavender, pink pepper, vetiver, patchouli, geranium and elemi, and a base of ambroxan, cedar and labdanum gives it staying power. Spicy freshness that works just as well at the office as it does at night.

divain-906

If you love sweet perfumes, this oriental for women proves that bergamot has a place in gourmand scents too. Neroli, bergamot, pink pepper and coriander lead into a heart of orange blossom, jasmine, honeysuckle, rose and iris, over a base of sugar, caramel, vanilla, musk, civet and labdanum. Bergamot is what keeps all that sweetness bright.

divain-376

The most complete citrus in the selection, for men. Citron, Calabrian bergamot and Sicilian orange up top; Nigerian ginger, Tunisian neroli and Ceylon cinnamon in the heart; and a base of Chinese black tea, ambroxan, olibanum incense and guaiac wood. It starts very fresh and gains warmth and depth as the hours go by.

divain-591

An oriental for women in which bergamot joins pear for a juicy opening. Then come tuberose, orange blossom and sambac jasmine, while a base of patchouli, vetiver, ambroxan and vanilla leaves it warm and sensual. Ideal if you are after a white floral with a fresh touch.

divain-560

Unisex and citrus from start to finish. Bergamot, mandarin, lemon, lavender, myrtle, rosemary and bitter orange in the top notes; African orange flower, jasmine, neroli and orange blossom in the heart; amber, ambrette musk and angelica in the base. It is the closest thing to a classic eau de cologne: clean, aromatic and perfect for hot weather.

How to choose your bergamot perfume

Start by thinking about when you will wear it. For everyday use and the warmer months, go for the most citrusy, aromatic ones, such as divain-560 or divain-924. If you want something with more presence for the evening, the bergamot, spice and wood combination in divain-222 and divain-376 lasts longer and leaves more of a trail. And if sweet is your style, divain-906 and divain-591 give you warmth without losing that fresh opening.

Frequently asked questions about bergamot perfumes

What is bergamot in perfumery?

It is a citrus fruit grown mainly in southern Italy, and its essence is extracted from the peel. In perfumery it is one of the most widely used top notes thanks to its fresh, bright and slightly bitter scent, and it is the backbone of classic eau de cologne.

Which notes go best with bergamot?

It goes with almost everything: with flowers such as orange blossom, jasmine or rose it feels elegant; with woods and spices it gains depth; and with vanilla or caramel it balances the sweetness so the perfume never becomes cloying.

Are bergamot perfumes only for summer?

No. The most citrusy ones shine in the heat, but when bergamot is paired with vanilla, amber, patchouli or woods, the perfume works perfectly in autumn and winter.