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Calamansi

Citrus microcarpa

Calamansi essential oil

Calamansi is the small green-skinned citrus of Filipino cooking, sharper than lime and sweeter than lemon. Its peel oil is almost pure limonene, up to nine tenths of the volatile fraction.[1] Myrcene and pinene fill in the rest, giving a tangy brightness with a faint resinous edge.[1] Like other cold-pressed citrus peel oils it may burn skin in sunlight, so keep it off skin going outdoors.[2] Beyond its composition, there is no research on the oil itself.

Also Known As
Calamondin, Philippine Lime
Family
Citrus
Perfumery Note
Top
Intensity
Medium
Extraction
Cold Pressed
Plant Parts
Fruit peel
Origins
Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia
Effect
Focus & Mental Clarity, Energy & Uplifting
Aroma
Citrus, Tangy, Fresh
Applications
Diffusing & Inhalation, Skincare, Cooking & Flavouring
Price
$$$$A niche citrus specialty from Southeast Asia; while yield is decent, global distribution and demand are more limited.

References

  1. [1]Characterisation of calamansi (Citrus microcarpa). Part I: volatiles, aromatic profiles and phenolic acids in the peel - Brat P et al. Food Chem, 2013
  2. [2]A study of the phototoxicity of lemon oil - Naganuma M, Hirose S, Nakayama Y, Nakajima K, Someya T. Archives of Dermatological Research, 1985