(OK Everyone. This is my first time using the new WordPress block editor. ASSHOLES! Why did they have to screw with the way this works. SO annoying. Whoever made these changes deserves a measly, unhappy life. )
Hey there A Bottled Rose, It’s a Mood Scent 4 week. WOO HOO! This month the crew are looking at Zesty Citrus. The Northern Hemisphere moving towards warmer weather you’ll be grabbing out your Zesty Citrus frags any moment now! How exciting. As we’ve just come through the hot I have a list of some of the things I wore throughout. Of course it doesn’t have to be warm to wear them, some are perfect win her warmers or brighteners.
Can’t wait to read about your favourite Zesty Citrus fragrances in the comments too.
So excited to be blogging with these three superstars again: Esperanza L’Esperessence, Megan Megan In Sainte Maxime and Samantha I Scent You A Day. Check theirs out too.
Mood Scent 4: Zesty Citrus!
As happened last month there is a LOT of choice in this genre. I have spent a fraught few days sniffing, resniffing and culling. These six seem to be a good cross section. Hopefully you’ll find something new to love and maybe one of topic long time faves too.
Bergamot Soleil by Atelier Cologne
Simple, fresh, pithy citrus that leans a very little towards gourmand in its sugary sweetness. I’m always surprised that vanilla or biscuit isn’t in the notes because I get that distinctly bakery feel. A gift from my buddy Clayton Ilolahia, every time I spritz there’s not just the joy of a beautiful scent but also his happy smiling face in my mind.
Berlin by Gallivant
An ozonic look at the zesty citrus idea. Pepper gives extra raspy zing and the dry ache of tea and vetiver make this a totally different citrus idea. Berlin beat Five O’Clock eau Gingember by Serge lutens out of this spot by a hairs breath. This is more firmly about the citrus.
Eau de Citron Noir by Hermès
The dark side of citrus. Here Christine Nagel has used wood, smoke and the sourness of dried limes to convey a completely different scent pattern for citrus. Still with that wonderful zing of the first swipe of your grater over the zest but now with shadow added.
Eau de Sud by Annick Goutal
In a complete 180 degree turn we now look at a green, joyous, buoyant version of the citrus theme.Here the zing is added to with basil and mint. Whenever I’m feeling a little blue and need a fragrance to lift me up Eau de Sud is a perfect choivce. Suddenly the world seems ever so much brighter.
Granville by DIOR
Granville is an all time favourite perfume in my collection. NOTHING does zesty citrus like it. Lemon from start to finish but not as you know it. Surrounded by enough greenery, spice and wood to fill a barn the elm,on still manages to lord it over them all. Works in all weathers and smells just right every time.
Paris-Riviera by CHANEL
I have an admission. When Riviera first came out I thought it was AWFUL! That floral/citrus/plastic opening had me shaking my head in disbelief. I think I even made a face and my buddy on the CHANEL counter was very surprised. Then I started craving it, wanting to smell that weird assed opening. Caved. Purchased. LOVE IT!
Don’t forget to go across and read the other three members of the Mood Scent 4 crew:
Esperanza L’Esperessence
Megan Megan In Sainte Maxime
Samantha I Scent You A Day.
Please share your Zesty Citrus faves
Portia xx
A Bottled Rose 
Love Eau du Sud. Still sulking that Goutal is no longer distributed in the U.S.
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I feel like Annick Goutal’s owners Pacific Amorê just don’t get the brand or its followers PJMcBride. It’s like every time they ti\urn around something more detrimental happens.
Portia xx
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Hey Portia
I now want to blind buy Eau de Citrus Noir, it sounds fabulous and just my thing.
Can’t believe I haven’t tried Eau de Sud.
Still kicking myself for not getting Granville at a swap meet when I had the chance.
Too funny about the Chanel!
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Hi Tara,
Whenever I wear Hermès fragrances I think of our fun run through the one at Selfridge & Co back in 2014. Yes, I think Eau de Citron Noire could be one for you.
Can you please come back here so we can sniff ALL THE SHIT you never got your nose on?
Portia xx
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Hiya Portia dearest – I hope everything’s going fine down under !
I‘m very much a fan of all things hesperidic, however, during the long morose Vienna winter I don‘t really crave them. It‘s a lovely sunny Easter Monday here, high time to pack out my favourite zesty juices :
– Bigarade Concentree from Edicion d.P. Frederic Malle, my number one, love for the first sniff and seems to remain eternal…
– Mulholland by Keiko Mecheri, a juicy orange
– Blenheim Bouquet by Penhaligon‘s, the brother of Dior‘s Granville…
– A Shot of Thai Lime over Mago by Jo Loves
– and finally something without citrus but fresh and tart : Eau de Rhubarbe Ecarlate by Hermes
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Hey there LJG,
What a lovely selection.
I had the Blenheim Bouquet bath oil for years until I stopped being able to get refills here in Oz. So lovely. Interesting that you equate it with Granville.
My BFF Kath wears Bigarade Concentree and it is beautiful. A citrus that makes hugs extra yummy.
I seriously love the bottle for Rhubarbe Ecarlate too.
Portia xx
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Hi Portia! Some great choices here, none of which I have tried except Gallivant Berlin! That’s great though, because sometimes I see so many perfumes in front of me that I go scent blind so it’s nice to hear of new material. I laughed at your story about the love/hate Chanel. Always a joy to work with you. love Sam xxx
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Heya Sam,
Yeah, the choice can be utterly paralysing.
I’m off to read your choices now.
All the hugs,
Portia xx
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Funny you mentioned Gallivant Berlin as I was recently given a travel roll on of Tel Aviv. I like Eau du Sud, and had almost forgotten it, and love petitgrain as a note in ‘zesty citrus’ scents, though can’t for the life of me think of examples! I do like Bigarade though too, as LJG mentions.
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Hi Vanessa,
Always so nice to see you.
Glad to remind you of Eau de Sud. I’m sad that Annick Goutal seem to have fallen behind in the world of perrfumistas. So much to love in their range, even now after Amore Pacific has slashed and burned.
Portia xx
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Hi Portia, Loved reading your choices. That’s funny about the Chanel – I love this one, but agree it’s a bit unusual for a Chanel. I have Paris – Venise and that is way more on brand. Love a bit of Bergamot Soleil too and interesting what you said above about Annick Goutal as I feel that they’ve lost their soul these days and wasn’t sure if I was alone on that one. The Gallivant is top as well and I’ve never tried the Dior – sounds like it’s worth tracking it down though. xxx
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Hey Megan,
That Paris – set are really good. I love that CHANEL has let their hair down a little bit with them. Also that they kept the prices reasonable (not cheap, obviously) and I mainly wear Biarritz.
Granville has become impossible to find sadly.
Portia x
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Hi Portia! Great picks! I am very intrigued by the Eau de Citron Noir sounds amazing! Almost included Eau de Sud as well which is one of my favourites for summer instead of the more popular Eau de Hadrien. Has Granville been discontinued? Loved it when I first tried it. XxxEsperanza
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Woo Hoo! That was nearly a SNAP Esperanza. That would have been cool to both have the same Annick Goutal!
Granville has gone the way of the dodo sadly.
See you over at your site.
Portia xx
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