Citrus familyTop note
Yuzu
Yuzu is a top note from the citrus family: the bright Japanese citrus prized for its crisp lift.
- 01Family
- Citrus
- 02Pyramid
- Top
- 03Best seasons
- Spring, Summer
- 04Type
- Note
What does yuzu smell like?
Yuzu: the bright Japanese citrus prized for its crisp lift.
From our page: Citrus fragrance familyIs yuzu a top, heart or base note?
Yuzu is a top note.
- Top15 minutes to 2 hours
- HeartHour 1 to hour 5
- Base4 to 12+ hours
Because the molecules are so light, the citrus family lives almost entirely in the top notes, so the base from a supporting family determines whether the scent lasts an hour or all afternoon.
From our page: Citrus fragrance familyTop notes are the first impression: you smell them in the air before the perfume even touches skin, and they fade within an hour or two.
From our page: Top, Middle, Base: How the Notes Pyramid Actually WorksWhat does yuzu pair with?
Citrus top notes are frequently rounded by neroli or petitgrain from the bitter orange tree, and longevity improves when the scent is built on a woody or musky base.
Named partners
Also in the citrus family
The citrus family bridges to
Read more about yuzu
HistoryThe Jean Carles Method: How Perfumers Still Train Their NosesThe Jean Carles method sorts raw materials by similarity and contrast; Givaudan, which runs the school he founded in 1946, calls it the training standard.
DiscoveryBest Perfume Discovery Sets to Gift in 2026The 10 best perfume discovery sets and sampler sets to gift in 2026, from a $20 four-vial set to Le Labo's 7 ml bottles, with contents and prices checked.
Find the perfumes built around yuzu.
Fragnatique reads every perfume down to its notes and scores it against your own taste, with the reason behind each match written out. Start from a note you love and let the app do the narrowing.









