Camélia du Maroc by Parfums Ciro — Review

The Flower of Winter

If, by the end of winter, you are tired of gourmand, ambery, and all kinds of heavy winter fragrances, and already crave something floral—but are still waiting for spring—I have good news for you. Flowers bloom in winter too. Right under the snow, in cold climates. More precisely, there is one flower: the camellia.

At the end of winter, I always feel the urge to wrap myself in the delicate scent of this beautiful flower, because this is exactly its time.

When I lived in Japan, I watched camellias blooming exuberantly everywhere throughout winter: along the streets, near temples, in parks. Japanese camellia (Camellia japonica), or tsubaki in Japanese, is the most unusual flower I have ever encountered.

Japanese camellias come in three colors—white, pink, and bright red, with the latter being the most common. Camellias bloom precisely with the arrival of cold weather, sometime in early December, and continue flowering until mid-March. I will never forget the lush, vibrant green camellia bushes with vivid red blossoms and golden centers, blooming densely right beneath layers of snow, while snowfall—like a white blanket—kept covering the flowers, protecting them from the cold.

The Scent of Japanese Camellia: A Flower of Love and Loyalty

Camellia has almost no scent at all, and even if you try very hard, you can only catch a faint, nearly weightless trace. Camellia oil is extracted from the flower, and thanks to its valuable properties, it is highly prized in skincare products and shampoos.

Camellia oil has a very soft, delicate aroma, vaguely reminiscent of white rose. Perhaps this is how cosmetic fragrances smell—a kind of imaginary camellia scent created by the Japanese. Yet this is exactly the scent that stayed in my memory.

In Japan, the entire product range follows a strong seasonal rhythm: if in spring everything is decorated with sakura—cosmetics, coffee, pastries—and in autumn it is osmanthus, then in winter camellia rightfully takes its place on the pedestal.

Camellia in Perfumery 2026: A New Release from Parfums Ciro

In perfumery, fragrances dedicated to camellia with a genuine scent and available on the market are extremely rare. In earlier releases, there were only a few perfumes devoted to this flower: Camellia by Keiko Mecheri, Camelia Eau de Parfum by Acqua di Parma, and Camelia Supérieur by Shiseido.

None of these fragrances are easy to find today. And should we even look for them, when a new fragrance of jewel-like beauty dedicated to camellia has entered the market? I will say it right away—I am delighted. The perfume house Parfums Ciro has released its new fragrance, Camélia du Maroc.

Camélia du Maroc by Parfums Ciro: Fragrance Pyramid

• Top notes: green tea, peony, pomelo, mandarin

• Heart notes: Moroccan camellia, jasmine sambac absolute, rose petals, jasmine Cœur de Saison

• Base notes: ambroxan, musk, gardenia

  
  

How Camélia du Maroc Unfolds

At the very beginning, right after the first spray, I sensed the aroma of green tea—bright and crisp, as if the tea leaves had been roasted. It strongly resembles the scent of Japanese hojicha tea. If you have been to Japan, you have certainly tried it and will recognize this appetizing aroma instantly.

Hojicha is a Japanese green tea made by roasting steamed, non-oxidized tea leaves (usually stems of bancha or sencha) at high temperatures, typically around 200°C (392°F). This process turns the leaves from green to reddish-brown, giving them a distinctive roasted, earthy aroma and a sweet, caramel-like taste, while also reducing bitterness and caffeine content.

Camellia in Perfume, Revealed in All Its Beauty

At first, Camélia du Maroc reminded me slightly of Matcha Meditation by Maison Margiela—but only briefly and only at the opening. It is essential to wait for the heart notes to unfold, because this is where true camellia reveals itself in all its beauty.

Through a delicate interplay of notes—peony, jasmine, rose petals, and a softly sweet gardenia in the base—the fragrance achieves that subtle camellia aroma. Perhaps it is imaginary, since camellia barely has a scent, yet for me it feels the most natural. Exactly the one I encountered in Japan. The way the Japanese themselves imagine it.

The Brand’s Description by Parfums Ciro

Here is how the brand describes the new release:

“CAMÉLIA DU MAROC opens with notes of green tea and peony—like a spring morning in the highlands of Morocco. Pomelo and mandarin bring freshness and lightness before camellia reveals itself in all its serene beauty. Delicate and almost weightless, its rare aroma intertwines with jasmine sambac, rose petals, and gardenia, creating a floral heart that seems to glow in warm sunlight. In the depth, soft musk rests on an amber base, protecting camellia like its precious secret.”

A Fragrance of Winter Memories

For me, camellia is truly the flower of winter. And in late January and February, wrapped in memories of Japan, this is the scent I want to wear.

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