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Neroli is a very popular note to use within women’s fragrances, particularly those made for the summer months. This derivative of the white flowers of certain orange trees, is often elegantly paired with other citrus notes, white florals, and a few spicy herbal ingredients. In this post, I want to take a closer look at what could be considered the best smelling neroli fragrances out there.
I have selected eleven options, that represent a range of styles, and there should be something for everyone. Is this an exhaustive list? No, but, it will serve as a great starting point.
What are the Top Neroli Fragrances?
High End Neroli Scent
Tom Ford Neroli Portofino Forte Eau De Parfum 3.4oz/100ml New In Box
The citrus notes here are blood orange and bergamot, which gives Forte a much juicier aroma than the original, but it does still have that soapy clean essence. As it dries down, leather and woods emerge, to flank the neroli note and blood orange still playing a big role.
The longevity here is good and this is a unisex perfume that leans more feminine. This isn’t a ‘pure neroli’ wear, but that is the main feature; that is housed in a great blend of citrus and then woods. Read my review here.
Better High End Neroli Scent
Neroli Amara by Van Cleef & Arpels– Adding this one to the list, with this update. Man, Neroli Amara is a fantastic fragrance. I think it’s exclusively at Bergdorf (linked above) now, however.
Anyway, this one is joined by bergamot, lemon, and orange. Super bright, but understated. Juicy freshness, but not overpowering. The neroli and orange blossom are going to be flanked by those citrus notes for most of the wear.
But, you will get to enjoy a heart of crisp pear and a light touch of pepper. The dry down isn’t too soapy, but you will get some musk, that will ramp up alongside the main notes.
If you want a great citrus and neroli blend, Neroli Amara can for sure fit the bill.
A Market of Flowers
Fanfare by Thameen London– Another expensive citrus and neroli blend. This one is quite good, however, with unique qualities and inspired by The Flower Market at Convent Garden.
What this means in practice is, a big dose of bergamot and lemon blended with our target ingredient. Underneath that: vermouth, juniper, and rosemary. Along with, some generic floral touches.
This one is fresh, with some aromatic spiciness, and the cold contrast to a hot summer’s day. There’s even a honeysuckle accord which get in on the act for a time.
Not going to be everyone’s cup of tea, but Fanfare is a newer neroli release, that I think delivers.
A Grand Neroli
Grand Neroli by Atelier– Grand Neroli is an interesting mix of our target note, with drier woodsy ingredients, greenish notes, and a nice vanilla coming from the base.
The top is especially green and citrusy, but it will turn more into a neroli showcase, as it dries down with hints of moss and the vanilla. This Atelier Cologne is light and fresh, with a sort of old school vibe.
It doesn’t really go overboard with any of the notes, has a nice balance, and isn’t screechy or too much like a cleaning product.
Underrated Neroli Perfume
Annick Goutal Neroli Les Colognes Eau De Cologne Spray 6.8 Oz / 200 Ml For Women, 24 Ounce
It also features petitgrain and it provides an herbal sort of scent to this cologne. A very good balance of being floral and citrus, but maintaining a neroli dominant composition. As it moves along further, you definitely get more of a pure neroli scent.
Les Colognes Neroli is a simple blend, but probably something that most fans of this note are looking for. It can be tough to find bottles, but its worthwhile, if not too expensive.
Fresh Spice & Neroli
Jo Malone Basil & Neroli Cologne Spray 30ml/1oz
It is very herbal and green at the top, with a light musk note floating around throughout. The drydown is much more of a citrus/floral, with a naturalistic smell. A beautiful and crisp wear for warmer weather.
I didn’t like the basil in Neroli Portofino Forte, as it struck me as strange, when paired with the musk note. However, Basil & Neroli, is devoid of that and much more pleasant than the opening act of the Tom Ford.
Deep Florals and Neroli
Sex and the Sea Neroli– I didn’t know of Francesca Bianchi prior to coming across this fragrance. But, this one for sure got me intrigued to try more.
There’s a lot going on with Sex and the Sea Neroli, which is a flanker of another of this brand’s perfumes. That being the case, this probably isn’t a fragrance for everybody’s taste.
It opens up with our neroli note. However, it is paired with coconut, civet, honey, and powdery florals which will come on later in the wear.
The neroli here is pretty green and has a bitter quality. This can be a bold start, but it does play well off of the creamy, sweet, and powdery notes in play. Smooth vanilla, kind of salty, beachy and tropical with that coconut.
This fragrance is a bit strange, yet, I dig it.
A Light Guerlain
Aqua Allegoria Nerolia Bianca by Guerlain– Long enough name? Sure, but this is a very nice neroli perfume from Guerlain, that isn’t super expensive.
Nerolia Bianca leans more towards the citrus floral than some of the others who have a greater use of herbal notes. The citrus is confined to the orange note, that is fresh, lush, and plenty juicy.
Yet, the opening is pretty much the orange juiciness and a greenish quality. This will transform into the use of the neroli and orange blossom, with the dry down being much more about the floral notes.
Very light and clean, great for use in the summer. Quite a Mediterranean feel.
Citrus/Neroli
Neroli Sauvage By Creed For Men. Millesime Spray 4.0 Oz.
The fragrance is very zesty and immediately brings to mind, being outside in the summertime. Obviously, Creed is going to be on the expensive end of things, but this one is gorgeous. I really enjoyed the juiciness of the actual citrus notes and how they played off of the neroli.
I tried this one out in the Creed boutique, the performance wasn’t as great as the aroma, but I really can’t deny the awesome smell.
Most Popular Designer Neroli
Tom Ford Neroli Portofino 1.7 oz Eau de Parfum Spray
It has a soapy profile and becomes even more floral as it dries down, as jasmine really starts to come through underneath the neroli. Clean and feminine, great for warm weather, with pretty good performance.
Plenty of folks, seem to prefer this one to Forte. It will probably be a better bet if you want a more floral experience, with the main focus being neroli and that jasmine. Read my review
Cheap Pure Neroli Perfume
Demeter Neroli Cologne Spray 120ml/4oz
Demeter does specialize in creating this singular note focused fragrances. Some are a complete miss, but this neroli one, is actually one of their better examples. Not going to blow you away, just something that does a good job, at a cheap price point.
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Best Men’s Colognes started back in 2013, as a way to share my learning experiences with different fragrances, as I dove head first into the hobby. Since then, I have written hundreds of reviews and other pages about perfumes and colognes.