Chinotto

Chinotto entered Western cultivation around 300 years ago when a Savonese sailor carried the plant from China to Savona, Italy. The city's unique microclimate—mountains meeting the sea—proved ideal for this compact citrus tree. Locals quickly adopted the bitter fruit for culinary purposes, eventually creating the carbonated Chinotto beverage that shares its name. Italian perfumers recognized the aromatic potential of both the flowers and the peel. Marco Abaton, a native of Savona, has developed multiple fragrances dedicated to the ingredient, including Fior di Chinotto, which captures the essence of blossoms harvested across four separate collections. The ingredient bridges culinary tradition and fine perfumery, representing a rare example of a citrus note deeply rooted in a single Italian town's heritage.