What does grapefruit smell like? The bitter-bright wake-up call

Grapefruit is the citrus with an attitude. It is juicy like orange, but sharper and more bitter, with a strange, almost sulfurous sparkle that makes it feel electric. In perfume it is the note of energy: the morning shower, the sports bag, the first cold drink of summer. It is one of the most popular fresh notes in modern fragrance, especially in men's and unisex scents.

What does it smell like?

Sharp, juicy and bitter, with a bright, slightly tropical edge. Look closer and you will notice:

• Juice: the wet, tangy smell of a freshly cut pink grapefruit
• Bitterness: a dry, slightly woody bitterness from the peel and pith
• Zest: an oily, sparkling peel note
• A sulfur edge: a faint, sweaty, almost tropical-fruit tone, like passion fruit or blackcurrant. It sounds odd, but it is what makes grapefruit feel so alive.
• Pink and rosy: in "pink grapefruit" notes, a soft, fruity sweetness

Grapefruit is mainly a top note, so it is strongest in the first half hour. Some of its molecules, though, last longer than other citrus, giving a dry, woody trace later on.

Where it comes from

Grapefruit, Citrus × paradisi, is a young fruit by citrus standards. It is a hybrid of pomelo and sweet orange, and it is thought to have first appeared by chance in Barbados, in the Caribbean, in the eighteenth century. Early names for it included "forbidden fruit".

From the Caribbean it spread to Florida, which became a major grower. Today grapefruit is grown in the United States, Mexico, South Africa, Israel, China, Spain and many other warm countries. White, pink and red varieties all exist, and each has a slightly different smell.

How it's made

Grapefruit oil comes from the peel. It is usually made by cold expression: machines press the peel of the fresh fruit, the oil is released from its glands, and it is separated from water and juice. Often this happens alongside juice production, so the peel does not go to waste.

The oil is mostly limonene, the bright citrus molecule found in nearly all citrus oils. What makes grapefruit different are two molecules found in tiny amounts:

• Nootkatone: a molecule with a dry, bitter, woody grapefruit smell. It was first found in the wood of a North American cedar, the Nootka cypress, which gave it its name. It is also used to flavour grapefruit drinks.
• 1-p-menthene-8-thiol: often called "grapefruit mercaptan". It is a sulfur molecule, and it is one of the most powerful smells known. A minuscule trace gives grapefruit its juicy, tropical, slightly sweaty edge.

A short history of grapefruit in perfume

• Classic perfumery: for most of perfume history, grapefruit was a minor player. Lemon, bergamot and orange did most of the citrus work.
• Late twentieth century: as fresh, sporty and "clean" scents became popular, perfumers looked for a citrus with more punch. Grapefruit fit perfectly.
• New molecules: better access to nootkatone and grapefruit mercaptan let perfumers make grapefruit notes stronger, longer-lasting and more realistic.
• Today: grapefruit is one of the signature notes of modern fresh fragrance, and it often appears in the opening of popular men's scents.

Grapefruit in modern perfume

Two perfumes by Jean-Claude Ellena for Hermès show how versatile it can be:

• Terre d'Hermès (2006): opens with grapefruit and orange over a mineral, woody base. It became a modern men's classic, showing that grapefruit could feel earthy and sophisticated, not only sporty.
• Eau de Pamplemousse Rose (2009): a light, joyful portrait of pink grapefruit. Pamplemousse is French for grapefruit.

Real vs synthetic grapefruit

Most grapefruit notes use a mix of natural and synthetic materials.

Natural grapefruit oil smells fresh and juicy, but it is weak and fades fast. Like other pressed citrus oils, it also contains small amounts of furocoumarins, molecules that can make skin react to strong sunlight. IFRA, the fragrance industry's safety body, sets limits on pressed grapefruit oil in products that stay on skin.

Synthetic support makes the note stronger and longer-lasting. Perfumers add nootkatone for bitterness and depth. Nootkatone is now often made from valencene, a molecule from oranges, using fermentation or other processes, since extracting it from grapefruit is very costly. A trace of grapefruit mercaptan adds juiciness, but too much smells like sweat or onion, so it is used in tiny amounts.

What grapefruit pairs well with

• Vetiver: dry, earthy and smoky. Grapefruit and vetiver are a classic fresh pairing.
• Pink pepper and ginger: add a spicy sparkle
• Rose: makes grapefruit softer and more romantic
• Rhubarb and blackcurrant: share grapefruit's sharp, tangy edge
• Mint and basil: for a cool, herbal freshness
• Musk and cedar: give it something to hold on to

Perfumes to try

• Terre d'Hermès by Hermès (2006): grapefruit over minerals and wood. A modern classic.
• Eau de Pamplemousse Rose by Hermès (2009): bright pink grapefruit, airy and cheerful.
• Grapefruit Cologne by Jo Malone London: a simple, sunny, zesty grapefruit.
• Pomelo Paradis by Atelier Cologne: a juicy, sparkling pomelo and grapefruit cologne.

How to wear grapefruit

• Grapefruit is perfect in the morning, for sport or for hot, humid days.
• It works well in the office. It reads as clean and awake, not heavy.
• Because citrus fades fast, look for grapefruit perfumes that pair it with woods or vetiver if you want more staying power.
• Spray a little on clothes for a longer-lasting fresh opening, testing first on a hidden spot.
• Store bottles away from heat and sunlight to stop the citrus going flat.

Who will love it

People who want energy from their perfume. Fans of fresh, sporty and modern scents. Anyone who prefers bitter flavours, like grapefruit juice, tonic water or dark chocolate. And anyone looking for a citrus scent with more character than plain lemon.