Kaffir Lime

About Kaffir Lime

Kaffir lime, also called makrut lime, is a citrus with a thick, characteristically bumpy peel. As a perfume note, the name refers to the aromatic impression of its fruit or peel. It is distinct from kaffir lime leaf, which names another part of the plant and has its own culinary and aromatic associations.

Scent Profile

The impression combines a bright citrus outline with sharper greenery and a slightly bitter peel character. Rather than suggesting only the juicy acidity of familiar lime, it can evoke the more assertive aroma released by rubbing a thick citrus rind. A fruit name in a fragrance pyramid describes the subject of the scent and does not necessarily establish one particular extraction method.

Use in Perfumery

In citrus and aromatic compositions, the note provides a clear, greener edge. Rosemary and mint connect its brightness with the freshness of herbs, while woods and moss place a quieter structure beneath the opening. It offers a way to move from lively fruit towards a more settled green composition without treating the fruit and the leaf as interchangeable ingredients.