surfleurs d'oranger oil
petitgrain bigarade surfleurs d'oranger oil

Among the better known codistillation products of flowers and oils is the essential oil from steam distillation of petitgrain bigarade oil over orange flowers from the same type of bitter orange tree. This product is almost exclusively a specialty of the Grasse houses, but there is no standard in respect to the ratio between petitgrain oil and the amount of orange flowers used in this distillation. A good oil is produced irregularly in Guinea. The oil should originally be a product from a mixture of leaves, twigs and flowers of the bitter orange tree, but since the trimming of the trees occur in a season when flowers are scarce. This is not very practical. An entirely different type of oil is composed by simple mixing of a certain amount of petitgrain bigarade oil with a certain much smaller amount of neroli oil. The three methods lead to three different products. The latter is of no interest at all to perfumers. The first mentioned method is the most common in use. The second method distillation of all three natural parts of the bitter orange tree yields an interesting distillation water. This water is rich in essential oil, a type of Orange Leaf and Flower Water Absolute which can be extracted by means of a hydrocarbon solvent. This absolute is related to the absolute of eaux de brouts. Blends well with citrus oils.