Bergamot (pronounced burg-ah-moe) makes a frequent appearance in the top notes of great perfumes, although I have yet to encounter one in real life. That's one of the great joys of being a woman of fragrance: you know a lot about plants and things without ever having to actually go outdoors.

Bergamot is actually a citrus fruit which grows most plentifully in Italy. It is neither orangey or lemony in scent, but could best be defined as the more sophisticated and subtle cousin of the lemon.

Tea drinkers know bergamot from Earl Gray tea, a black tea that is infused with notes of bergamot.

In perfume, bergamot tends to make frequent appearances. Citrus notes tend to be favored for the top notes, those olfactory whiz kids that zip out of the bottle when you first get a whiff of a new perfume.

Fresh makes a scent entitled Bergamot Citrus, which is a great fruity introduction to the stuff. Little Italy by Bond No. 9 is my favorite citrus scent; think of it like bergamot and friends.

You can also find bergamot mixing in all sorts of interesting company. It's in the CK One by Calvin Klein, but also in the sultry Black Orchid by Tom Ford, and in the spritely but sophisticated Delices to Cartier. Bergamot is in Bouquet by Vera Wang (were one might expect it) but it's also in Angel by Thierry Mugler and Dior Addict.

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