The citron (Citrus medica) was among the first citrus fruits known in Europe, prized since antiquity for its aromatic rind rather than its bitter pulp. In perfumery, its essential oil—cold-pressed from the peel—is treasured for its sparkling, dry, and slightly resinous character. Unlike the sweeter bergamot or orange, citron’s scent has a more austere, lemony sharpness tinged with green woods and faint spice. This complex freshness comes from natural molecules such as limonene, citral, and β-pinene, which lend brightness and clarity, while a trace of linalool adds floral lift. Guerlain’s Cédrat would have distilled these characteristics into a refined essence that felt simultaneously invigorating and elegant—ideal for the tastes of the mid-19th century, when “eaux de toilette” and “eaux de cologne” were fashionable luxuries among the European elite.
Citron’s symbolism in the Victorian language of flowers was tied to purity, cheerfulness, and freshness of spirit—a fitting association for a fragrance that seemed to bottle sunlight itself. In a society that valued refinement and restraint, Cédrat offered women a scent of sophistication that was both bright and decorous. It suggested vitality without sensual excess, making it suitable for daily wear during a time when heavier perfumes were often reserved for evening or court occasions.
The late 1830s, when Cédrat was introduced, marked the dawn of the Romantic period in both art and society. It was an age of fascination with nature, travel, and the exotic—a world of poets, botanists, and explorers. In fashion, women wore delicate muslin gowns and pastel silks; their toilette tables displayed crystal bottles filled with floral waters and citrus essences imported from Italy or the South of France. Guerlain’s shop, newly established on the Rue de Rivoli in Paris, catered to this refined clientele, offering perfumes that embodied lightness, grace, and modernity.
A fragrance named Cédrat would have been instantly appealing to women of this era. It evoked the romance of distant lands—the sun-warmed citrus groves of the Mediterranean, the soft rustle of lace parasols in seaside villas, and the optimism of a new century. Its scent would be interpreted as the essence of clarity and cleanliness, a luminous veil of freshness that reflected both good taste and cultivated sensibility.
While many perfumers of the 19th century produced their own “Cédrat” waters or essences, Guerlain’s interpretation likely stood out for its refinement and complexity. Pierre-François Pascal Guerlain had an unrivaled gift for balance; even his simplest citrus compositions displayed an elegance that set them apart. His Cédrat would not have been a mere “toilet water,” but rather a delicate orchestration of citrus, floral, and subtle balsamic undertones—transforming the straightforward brightness of citron into something enduring and elegant.
In the broader context of its time, Cédrat aligned with the prevailing trends for clean, naturalistic scents—descendants of the 18th-century eaux de cologne tradition—but it also hinted at Guerlain’s emerging sophistication. It prefigured the perfumer’s later genius for layering brightness with warmth, simplicity with depth. In Cédrat, we can already sense the beginnings of that distinctly Guerlain touch: a radiant freshness softened by refinement, a harmony of sunlight and silk.
Fragrance Composition:
So what does it smell like? Originally a vibrant, fresh composition, this fragrance captures the sparkling essence of citrus blossoms blended with aromatic undertones, evoking the bright, breezy elegance of a Mediterranean garden. Classified as a citrus aromatic fragrance for women.
- Top notes: lemon and bergamot
- Middle notes:
- Base notes: cedar
Scent Profile:
Imagine opening the flacon and being met instantly with a burst of sunlight — that first inhalation of lemon is dazzling, bright, and crystalline, like rays of light caught in glass. Italian lemons, particularly those from Sicily or the Amalfi Coast, are prized for their high content of limonene, the molecule responsible for their effervescent, sparkling top note. But within that brightness lies complexity: traces of citral give the lemon a tart, almost green sharpness, while linalool and β-pinene add a touch of floral and piney smoothness. The effect is pure exhilaration — a crisp morning breeze, freshly peeled rind, and the sensation of cool water over warm skin. In perfumery, lemon oil provides that instant lift, the opening brilliance that awakens the senses before it mellows into warmth.
Then, as the lemon’s sparkle softens, bergamot unfurls — gentler, rounder, and more refined. The bergamot, sourced from Calabria in southern Italy, has long been considered the finest in the world. Its delicate aroma is a marriage of citrus and blossom, both tart and lightly floral, thanks to its complex chemical composition: linalyl acetate imparts a smooth, almost pear-like sweetness; linalool adds a gentle petal-like freshness; and a whisper of bergapten gives depth and subtle warmth. Together, they form an elegant bridge between the citrus zest of the top and the aromatic heart below. While modern perfumers often enhance bergamot’s brightness with synthetics such as citronellal or hedione, these additions serve to extend the natural radiance of the oil, ensuring that the fragrance glows on the skin longer than nature alone could sustain.
As the initial effervescence subsides, the scent begins to settle into its tranquil base of cedar. The cedarwood — most likely from the Atlas Mountains of Morocco or the forests of Virginia — offers a serene counterpoint to the citrus sparkle above. Its dry, resinous character brings structure and calm, grounding the composition with notes of clean wood, faint pencil shavings, and sun-warmed bark. Naturally rich in cedrol and thujopsene, cedar imparts a smooth, almost creamy woodiness that lingers delicately, never heavy. Synthetic cedar molecules, such as Iso E Super or Cedramber, might be used to enhance this natural note, diffusing it with a modern transparency that allows the wood’s warmth to radiate through the citrus veil.
Together, these three elements — the radiant lemon, the velvety bergamot, and the tranquil cedar — create a scent that feels both effortless and timeless. It evokes a Mediterranean garden at midday: the air alive with the fragrance of ripening citrus, a hint of crushed leaves underfoot, and the gentle hum of sunlit wood in the background. There’s something inherently optimistic in such a composition — a fragrance that captures the simplicity of nature’s brightness, refined by the elegance of human artistry. It is at once vivid and serene, fleeting and memorable, like sunlight fading on stone at the close of a perfect summer day.
Bottle:
It was housed in the Carre flacon (parfum) starting in 1870.
Fate of the Fragrance:
Discontinued, date unknown, it remained available at least until 1853.
