Citrus， widely cultivated globally， has a complex genetic background， leading to ongoing debates about its origins and botanical classification. The consumption or processing of citrus fruits generates a substantial amount of citrus peel waste. Extracting citrus essential oil provides an effective means of utilizing citrus processing waste， promoting resource reutilization， and aligning with the principles of sustainable development. However， commercially available citrus essential oils vary greatly in quality and flavor， with prevalent issues of adulteration. The diversity of citrus varieties is a crucial factor contributing to the wide range of flavors in citrus essential oils， posing a challenge for flavor assessment. To deeply analyze the sensory characteristics of citrus essential oil， this paper first delved into the issue of citrus origins. Then provided detailed information to flavor characteristic of citrus essential oil and their primary application areas. Additionally， a systematic evaluation of the applications of sensory analysis techniques for citrus essential oil was conducted， including traditional sensory evaluation， human-machine integrated analytical devices， intelligent sensor technology， and modern sensory analysis techniques， along with their advantages and limitations， to provide a scientific basis for the quality evaluation of citrus essential oil. Finally， this paper presented future prospects for the flavor evaluation of citrus essential oils， proposing suggestions such as strengthening quality supervision， enhancing traceability management， and further refining flavor evaluation systems， aiming to enhance the sensory attributes of citrus essential oils and drive sustainable development of citrus industry.