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Le Petit Grain 2008

7.7 / 10 100 Ratings
A popular perfume by Miller Harris for women and men, released in 2008. The scent is citrusy-green. The production was apparently discontinued.
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Main accords

Citrus
Green
Fresh
Spicy
Woody

Fragrance Pyramid

Top Notes Top Notes
Italian bergamotItalian bergamot Orange blossom water absoluteOrange blossom water absolute Sicilian lemonSicilian lemon Valencia orangeValencia orange AngelicaAngelica
Heart Notes Heart Notes
Petitgrain absolutePetitgrain absolute Tunisian neroliTunisian neroli Tunisian rosemaryTunisian rosemary French lavenderFrench lavender Red thymeRed thyme TarragonTarragon
Base Notes Base Notes
Haitian vetiverHaitian vetiver OakmossOakmoss PatchouliPatchouli

Perfumer

Ratings
Scent
7.7100 Ratings
Longevity
6.376 Ratings
Sillage
5.578 Ratings
Bottle
7.388 Ratings
Value for money
6.114 Ratings
Submitted by Baux · last update on 05/12/2025.
Source-backed & verified

Smells similar

What the fragrance is similar to
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Eau d'Orange Verte by Hermès
Eau d'Orange Verte
Granville by Dior
Granville

Reviews

8 in-depth fragrance descriptions
Kurai

388 Reviews
Kurai
Kurai
Helpful Review 4  
Mellow Yellow
A seemingly common neroli-petitgrain formula, with a long-lasting yellow citrus glow and a range of herbs to support. Thanks to a soft vetiver-patchouli base and an EdP concentration, it may feel a bit more full-bodied than the typical neroli-style refreshment.

Contrary to other herbaceous colognes, this does not feel harsh or bitter. The emphasis here is on mild, yellow and blossomy tones. Sillage is pretty modest from the start and longevity is above average.

When I finally got my hands on this one, summer season had already come to an end. So I haven't tested it yet on the hottest of days. In mild temperature it works like a charm, I must say.
Updated on 10/05/2021
0 Comments
Drseid

828 Reviews
Drseid
Drseid
1  
A Wonderful Gift For Me And Everyone Else...
Le Petit Grain opens with a very natural lemon and bitter orange tandem with aromatic lavender and mint-like green rosemary support. Moving to the early heart, the lemon recedes, while the aromatic lavender and floral bitter orange gain strength, joining an emerging dominant woody green rose-like petitgrain that takes the fore with grassy, slightly woody vetiver providing additional support. During the late dry-down the composition turns much woodier, as the vetiver takes center stage with subtle oakmoss support through the finish. Projection is average but longevity outstanding at over 15 hours on skin.

I received a bottle of Le Petit Grain as a generous gift from a friend who will remain anonymous a while back (you know who you are), but I had never sniffed the perfume before and it never popped on my radar previously for trial. The first time I sprayed it on skin I knew my friend had chosen a "winner," but the composition appeared to be a bit of a "one trick pony," so to speak. Now having worn the perfume many times over, I can safely say that just isn't the case. Sure, as one might expect with a name "Le Petit Grain," petitgrain plays a very large role in the key mid-section of the composition's development, but after further review just as prominent as the petitgrain, is fine floral bitter orange that pairs perfectly with the ingredient. Additionally, while the bitter orange and petitgrain are the most easily identifiable, the aromatic lavender early and woody vetiver late are key to making the composition stand out over many other high quality petitgrain driven compositions. Ultimately, Le Petit Grain succeeds at providing the wearer a very pleasant smelling fresh, aromatic offering that is quite versatile, while providing a few twists along the way to keep one intrigued throughout the journey. The bottom line is Le Petit Grain is another winner from underrated perfumer Lyn Harris, earning it an "excellent" 4 stars out of 5 rating and a strong recommendation to all. It goes without saying my friend chose well and I am very grateful to now have this wonderful perfume in my collection.
1 Comment
MasterLi

376 Reviews
MasterLi
MasterLi
1  
Eau de Cologne formula (an homage to the Orange Tree)
So again this is a take on the classic Eau de Cologne arrangement (neroli, orange blossom, orange leaves etc.), with bergamot to complete the sour/bitter feel of it. This is Lyn Harris' homage to the orange tree, from the flowers to the leaves to the earth downwards.

To me I definitely like the top with the bitter green orange-citrus smell... and I think what makes this interesting is the use of lavender and other very aromatic, very Mediterranean herbs to accompany it. It's almost as if both fresh and dried cooking herbs have been added here giving it a fresh, green and herbal feel.

I keep saying to myself that Eau d'Orange Vert by Hermès was always the best green/bitter orange scent I ever encountered, and in fact I now nearly judge every other fragrance by that standard. That said, I think this one is really nice. It's an Eau de Parfum, but I sometimes wished it would last a little longer on my skin.

Still, l really do like this house and I certainly admire and appreciate Lyn Harris' passion for using natural ingredients... that's something which makes her perfumes smell undeniably natural!
1 Comment
DuftDoktor

19 Reviews
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DuftDoktor
DuftDoktor
Top Review 20  
Voilà, Petitgrain as a Soloist!
1.) In search of the scent of Petitgrain:
In numerous citrus, green, and spicy perfumes, Petitgrain plays a role. Since it almost always participates quietly in the background, the scent of pure Petitgrain is usually inaccessible to us. So, of course, hope arises when a fragrance named "Le Petit Grain" (LPG) takes the stage.

2.) Does LPG smell exclusively of Petitgrain?
Oh dear, according to the program brochure (fragrance pyramid), many other instruments are also frolicking in the orchestra pit. How can one discern Petitgrain in that?

No panic, as perfume and Parfumo fans, we won't be easily rattled. Let's approach this calmly and analytically:
-) Can other instruments (the top notes) be detected? - No.
-) Could it be that the top notes are closely intertwined? - No, very unlikely.
-) Is there a scent development in the first 30 minutes after spraying? - No, not to a significant extent.

=> Most likely, the perfume smells almost exclusively of Petitgrain (at least during the first hour). A top note does not disappear and therefore was never present. This means the other players are just sitting quietly next to Petitgrain and watching reverently.

3.) Inflated fragrance pyramid:
It may be that a few drops of the mentioned other fragrance notes have indeed flowed in. I don't want to accuse the manufacturer of misinformation. Nevertheless, I believe that the full fragrance pyramid is meant to disguise the fact that this is a monothematic and moreover simply constructed scent. Although the fragrance name already suggests this, it seems they did not want to stand by the sparsely populated fragrance pyramid. That was fear of their own courage.

4.) Description of the scent, i.e., of Petitgrain:
Petitgrain is steam distilled from the "green stuff" of the bitter orange tree, namely from the branches, leaves, flowers, and unripe (green) fruits. And you can smell that. This means Petitgrain has a woody, dry, green, somewhat bitter, slightly citrusy scent and not at all sour, juicy, or fruity.

One could confuse Petitgrain with lemongrass or lemon tree, although it is more bitter. Among the common fragrance notes, I believe vervain (lemon verbena) has the least scent distance from Petitgrain. However, it smells more herbal, metallic, piercing, and fruity.

5.) Best fragrance from Miller Harris:
The Parfumo community has rated this fragrance as the second best among all Miller Harris fragrances, currently with 81% (from 9 votes). I largely share this assessment but would prefer to give only 75%. (Currently, "La Fumée Arabie" is rated the highest with 82% from 10 votes.)

Miller Harris has a common thread for me. All fragrances from this London house share a certain rawness, straw-like quality, dryness, and sharpness. This is not typically British.

And I don't like it either. At best, one cannot deny the fragrances an extravagant, bold style. However, the problem with less appealing, exalted fragrances is: Who wants to smell like that? It's okay for sniffing in a perfume store, but I wouldn't want to have such a scent cloud around me for hours. Consequently, I have only acquired this one Miller Harris fragrance.

6.) Use as a visual object and layering ingredient:
LPG smells quite good, but not spectacular. I hardly use it as a perfume, but mainly as a visual object for the scent of Petitgrain.

Furthermore, I can imagine using it for layering. Compositions that would benefit from a slightly woody and minimally citrus note come to mind. I spontaneously think of herbal-green and floral-fresh fragrances.

Basically, LPG could be combined with almost any fragrance. In the worst case, Petitgrain won't be bothersome, often it will simply fade into the background, and sometimes it could give the fragrance a small, elegant twist. Here lies a vast field for experimentation, enjoy!

7.) Conclusion and recommendation:
LPG smells unusual, interesting, and allows one to explore Petitgrain in almost pure form. One should definitely have smelled the fragrance.

I advise against a blind purchase, as the scent is too unappealing and (as a monotheme) not rounded enough. Whether a purchase is worthwhile or if a decant would suffice should be carefully considered.
------------------------------------
Addendum (on 20.01.2014):

There are also other opinions about this fragrance, stating that the listed top notes can indeed be detected.

Fragrances affect everyone differently. Perhaps my nose is not yet trained enough, or my subconscious is filtering out the green-spicy top note potpourri because it is so pleased with the Petitgrain scent impression.

In any case, after a few minutes, it should be quite clear how Petitgrain smells. Whether there is still a certain twist in LPG and how strongly this is weighted in the scent perception will be judged somewhat differently by everyone.
9 Comments
loewenherz

920 Reviews
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loewenherz
loewenherz
Top Review 23  
Neville Longbottom
For those who have never read Harry Potter and have never watched any of the film adaptations, it may be a bit difficult to follow my commentary on Lyn or Miller Harris' Le Petit Grain: Neville Longbottom is one of Harry Potter's classmates at Hogwarts, the boarding school for young wizards. Initially a somewhat awkward and extremely shy boy, he undergoes the most remarkable development and transformation among the supporting characters - ultimately culminating in him killing the snake Nagini with Godric Gryffindor's sword at the end of the last book, thereby making victory over evil possible. In the end, Neville is a hero.

As for the victory over evil - it should be admitted from the start - Le Petit Grain likely contributes very little to that. Yet it too begins very quietly - shy, almost a bit clumsy. There is angelica, quiet and modest, almost pale - and fresh herbs are present - like Neville, who enjoys digging in the greenhouse with Madame Sprout in Herbology, his favorite subject. At this point, the scent is absolutely nothing special - with a hint of citrus and a bit of green herb, many begin this way. The namesake Petitgrain - the essential oil from the leaves and unripe fruit of the bitter orange - only joins in after a while - slowly and not suddenly - developing a shy freshness and a soft friendliness and warmth, comparable to the deepening color of freshly brewed tea, which shifts from bright green to gold to sometimes dark coppery brown. Oakmoss and patchouli finally give it a bit of edge - although still gentle and friendly - and the dark gray-green of vetiver leaves no doubt that he has become a man - just as Neville learns over seven years at Hogwarts to leave shyness and timidity behind and become a hero.

Conclusion: actor Matthew Lewis, who played the role of Neville Longbottom in all eight films of the Harry Potter series, recently (almost) stripped for a British magazine. One can think this is good or not - but one thing is certain: a real man!
4 Comments
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Statements

27 short views on the fragrance
9 months ago
1
Hmm, it's too light. It's expensive. It does have a nice scent, but the tarragon is too strong and it feels too masculine.Intimate fragrance
0 Comments
18
A fresh summer day in southern England. Cool aromatic "Kitchen Herbs" cologne with a chypre-like moss base. Naturalism at its best. Beautiful.
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0 Comments
17
13
Colorful citrus market in Söller
Fresh citrus fruits, Mediterranean lightness.
Lavender is on the table
Tinto de Verano next to it.
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13 Comments
14
3
Wonderful Eau de Cologne, where Petitgrain with its fresh, bitter-fruity note takes center stage instead of Neroli: charming!
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3 Comments
11
1
Petit Grain lifts the mood, this scent combines the finest Cologne ingredients into a truly wonderful fragrance.
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1 Comment
11
3
First a mix of citrus fruits, the scent becomes finely greenish bitter and then mossy. Overall, it’s very classic and wonderfully old-school.
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3 Comments
11
3
Watery citrus opening, followed by a wonderful French herb garden. Wood in the background rounds it off. Unfortunately, a bit too subtle.
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3 Comments
8 years ago
9
2
Naturalistic citrus-green, almost pure Petitgrain at the start on a wonderful, creamy Chypre base. A livelier, greener Eau Sauvage.
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2 Comments
8
5
Citrusy, dry, bitter green - herbal. A herb garden reaches out with a citrusy sour fruit basket. Petitgrain is the heart. A hint of moss.
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5 Comments
7
3
A Mediterranean herb garden - Green, herbal, citrusy, dry, slightly bitter. In the dry down, a creamy chypre. I like the scent, but not on me.
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3 Comments
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