Neroli

NEROLY, a ſort of Perfume.

[page 26] Along with that double orange flower water, the neroly or quinteſſence of orange flowers will come alſo; but as this quinteſſence is the oily part it will ſwim at top; that neroly is firſt of a green colour, but after a few days it turns of a reddiſh one. [...] [page 27] [T]he neroly is ſtill infinitely ſuperior to that double water itſelf, and can admit of no compariſon at all; for half a gill of neroly does more than a quart and more of double water; [...]

Bouquet is the white curd soap perfumed with bergamot, oils of cloves, sassafras, thyme, and neroli, and coloured with brown ochre.

[page 78] Now, when orange-flowers are distilled with water, we procure the otto of the blossom, which is known commercially as oil of neroli. The neroli procured from the flowers of the Citrus aurantium is considered to be of the finest quality, and is called "neroli petale." [...] [page 79] The water used for distillation in procuring the neroli, when well freed from the oil, is imported into this country under the name of eau de fleur d'orange, and may be used, like elder-flower and rose-water, for the skin, and as an eye lotion.

[P]our in a small portion of the tincture of orange flowers, or the least drop of the essence of neroly, and pass the mixture again through a cloth; [...]

The ‘Nérolis’ are largely used for ‘Hungary Water’ and ‘Eau de Cologne,’ and ‘Petit Grain’ for scenting soap.

Many of the finest neroli oil imitations are nothing more nor less than terpeneless petitgrain oil to which has been added in some cases neroli and aldehyde C₁₀: [...] Even when preparing less costly synthetic nerolis, French petitgrain is almost invariably employed, and in the cheapest of all products Paraguay petitgrain.

I remember one woman telling me that her mother chose to have neroli diffused in her room during her last weeks here on earth and the daughter was so grateful there was something that so easily evoked the memory of her mother. She could pick up her bottle of neroli whenever she was feeling sad, sniff deeply, and the memory of her mother would all come flooding back – not her dying, but her living, happy days.