Yuzu Essential Oil

Yuzu is a citrus fruit native to East Asia and a hybrid of sour mandarin and other citrus types. The aroma of this Edens Garden essential oil is tangy, with a sweet-warmth typical of citrus. Diffused or when mixed with other oils it is purifying, inspiring and some feel, personally empowering.

The Yuzu's flavor is tart, resembling grapefruit, with overtones of sweeter mandarin orange. It is rarely eaten on its own as a fruit, although in Japanese cuisine its aromatic outer rind (zest) is used to garnish food; the juice is commonly used to make beverages and seasonings.  Like lemon, it is utilized in many other aspects of cuisine. Yuzu is now added to many craft beers, special ciders and ales to produce a heady, citrus bouquet. This typically Asian member of the citrus family will grow heartily in the Pacific Northwest, although most is harvested in Japan and parts of Southeast Asia. 

In Japan, bathing with Yuzu during winter solstice is an ancient family custom dating back centuries. Yuzu fruits are floated in hot bath water, releasing their divine aroma; the orchard-like freshness inspires body and spirit during the cold of winter. This aroma-therapeutic bath is also relished as a skin softener, to allay seasonal health challenges and produce satisfying warmth.

Yuzu fruit grows on an upright shrub or small tree, which has many large thorns. The fruit looks somewhat like a grapefruit (though usually smaller) with an uneven skin, and can be either yellow or green depending on the degree of ripeness. The essential oil is distilled from the pericarp (rind) of the fruit.