Jeruk Purut

Jeruk purut is the kaffir lime: a small, knobbled fruit with almost no juice, grown for its peel and for its leaves, which come in pairs joined end to end. Cooks tear the leaves into a curry. Perfumers distil the peel, and the leaves and twigs on their own.

This one is built on the peel oil, which is sharper and greener than ordinary lime. Petitgrain keeps it green. Neroli and a little ginger warm it without making it sweet.

It is the shortest-lived perfume in the house. The citrus is gone within the hour, and what is left is white tea, musk and salt, like skin after the sea.