Clementine

Clementine is a citrus fruit belonging to the rutaceae family. Clementine is the fruit of the clementine tree, and it comes from a cross between the mandarin tree and an orange tree. Clementine owes its name to Brother Clément, of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit. In 1892, Brother Clément reportedly deliberately crossed a mandarin tree with a variety of willow-leaved bitter orange trees. In tribute to Brother Clément, Louis-Charles Trébut decided to call this new variety the clementine.

The benefits of clementine

The composition of clementine is similar to other citrus fruits, with a few particularities. Clementine contains almost 87% water, making it a very thirst-quenching fruit. It also contains vitamin C, with an average rate of 41 mg per 100 mg of fruit, as well as vitamins A, B and E. Clementine has even become a feminine first name. Indeed, women named Clémentine have a very personal way of seeing life, full of paradoxes—they are independent, but also provocative. Clementine, the fruit, gives off a strong scent, which lingers in the room for a good while after it has been peeled. The effluvia it releases are sweet, tangy, fine and soft. This is why clementine is used in perfumery. Clementine essential oil is obtained by cold expression of the zest.

Clementine and its association with olfactory families

Clementine is a citrus fruit and, as such, belongs to the Citrus olfactory family. It is therefore naturally found in citrus fragrances, mainly as a top note, as in Aqua Allegoria Orange Magnifica and Aqua Allegoria Mandarine Basilic by Guerlain. Nevertheless, clementine blends wonderfully well with other olfactory families, as in chypre compositions, notably with Emotion by Pierre Cardin, a floral chypre. Clementine can also be discovered at the heart of oriental fragrances such as Cinéma by Yves Saint Laurent or Classique Été 2012 by Jean-Paul Gaultier, or again in Élixir des Merveilles, a woody oriental by Hermès where clementine is positioned as a top note, alongside orange pulp and chocolate. Of course, clementine also delights us by being present at the heart of floral fragrances such as Rêve Enchanté by Van Cleef & Arpels, where clementine is found as a top note alongside peach and neroli. Another floral (aquatic) fragrance where clementine can be found is Ô Oui by Lancôme.

Coming from a cross between mandarin and orange, clementine is a distinctive, highly appreciated fruit. It contains numerous vitamins for the body and helps stock up on them during winter. Clementine is also used in perfumery. Because it belongs to the Citrus family, it offers generally volatile notes and is often positioned as a top note for its tangy freshness. It nevertheless combines with all olfactory families, which allows clementine to be found at the heart of aromatic, floral, woody, chypre or oriental fragrances.