By all accounts, bergamot production is ideally done as a cold extraction which is of course why I wanted to try my hand in producing it by steam distillation. I used very low heat, almost to the point I thought I’d stall out the still and kept the distillation on ice. After a day or two of rest, I buried my nose and found those eau de cologne bergamot notes I’d hoped for. Bergamot is a citrus I long assumed I’d have to experience in photos or books. To hold this pear shaped fruit of perfection and sniff its perfume history is still a moment of wonderment to me. Makes me deeply grateful to be here and have that kind of special access due to becoming a pal with the farmer.
Bergamot flavors perfumes, cosmetics, food and of course the famous early grey tea (when authentic of course). It was historically used in italian folk medicine and named after the Italian city of Bergamot in Lombardy. Ernest Guenther wrote that the first oil was produced by cold expression in as early as the first part the the eighteenth century. It was mainly produced in Calabria during his era (1950s) and had not arrived in United States as a crop to my knowledge. Photos depicting the floor to ceiling Calabrese Machine is impressive and envyiable even if it was crude in its citrus pressing. Those who know my inner workings have likely assumed I’m working out plans for a small citrus press and of course my blueprint looks nothing like the Italian press but yes I am.
Shelf life: approximately 6 months. Refrigerate to prolong freshness.
Packaged in 3.3oz/100 ml tamper proof refillable glass bottles.
Our hydrosols are kept in dedicated refrigeration until shipped.
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