The process of dissolving flower essences in alcohol to create a refreshing water has been known for almost three centuries. At the beginning of the 18th century, the Italian-born Johann Maria Farina developed a scented water in Cologne, which he called "Eau de Cologne" and confidently described: "My scent is like an Italian spring morning after the rain, oranges, grapefruit, lemons, bergamot, cedrat, lime and the flowers and herbs of my homeland." Soon, more than 50 titles as purveyor to the court testified to the success of the fresh fragrance - even Goethe and Napoleon ordered it regularly. "Eau de Cologne" became synonymous with light fragrances in general. The Farina family still produces Eau de Cologne today with only slight adaptations to the original recipe.

The Eau de Cologne by Johann Maria Farina (1685-1766) is characterized by a dominant bergamot top note. Among the ingredients, the various bergamot oils from the Reggio growing region make up the largest positions. Johann Maria Farina's original formulas are procurement and production instructions that take into account the fact that the fragrances fluctuate due to different harvests and growing regions. The aim of the original recipes is to always produce the same fragrance in comparable quality. The recipes are not a rigid list of ingredients. Only by mixing (so-called blending) the same oils from different growing locations or sites can harvest-related variations in fragrance be balanced out. Similar to champagne production, this ensures that the fragrance is not dependent on the vintage. Over the course of time, in addition to harvest differences, other events occur that require some raw materials to be replaced in order to produce the same fragrance. Plant diseases that destroy entire varieties or the cessation of cultivation for economic reasons, as in the case of jasmine production in the south of France, pose major challenges in the search for substitutes.

In contrast to heavy fragrances, fresh fragrances such as Farina Eau de Cologne do not have a long shelf life. The light volatility goes hand in hand with easier oxidizability and thus a change in fragrance. You should therefore not keep and use such a product for years. Although the change is not harmful to health, it does affect the enjoyment of this refreshment. Occasional users who still have an older product in their home often remember the oxidized smell and forget how beautiful the fragrance is in its original state. Some ingredients of eau de cologne have been found to be allergenic when used on the skin and are therefore declared for sensitive people. The majority of these are substances that occur naturally and have often been used for centuries. The furocoumarins found in bergamot oil, which are classified as phototoxic, are mostly removed from the natural oils before use. Throughout the almost 300-year history of Johann Maria Farina's eau de cologne, the fragrance has never been copied. Imitators or counterfeiters were always concerned with the brand name or the packaging.