Atlas Cedarwood Oil

#### Cedarwood Oil, "Atlas". This essential oil is also known as "**Moroccan**" **Cedarwood Oil**. The oil is entirely different—chemically and olfactory—from the American Virginia or Texas cedarwood oils. The tree, **Cedrus Atlantica**, is a pine, not a cypress (such as the American and East African cedars). It is believed that the Atlas cedar is originated from the famous Lebanon cedars which grow wild in Lebanon and in the island of Cyprus, now protected from being felled for essential oil distillation and lumbering. The Atlas cedarwood oil may occasionally be offered as **Lebanon**** ****Cedarwood Oil **(see **Cedarwood Oil, Lebanon**). **Atlas**** ****Cedarwood**** ****Oil**** **is steam distilled from either the wood and stumps—or from sawdust—of the above tree which grows abundantly in the Atlas mountains, particularly in Morocco and in the northwestern parts of Algeria. Distillation takes place almost exclusively in Morocco. The annual production of this oil fluctuates between 15 and *35 *metric tons. It is one of the most inexpensive essential oils entering the European market. **Atlas Cedarwood Oil **is a yellowish to orange- yellow or deep amber-colored, viscous oil, occasionally somewhat turbid. Its odor is very peculiar and not exactly pleasant when undiluted: slightly camphoraceous-cresylic with a sweet and tenacious woody undertone, reminiscent of cassie and mimosa. However, it does not present the delicateness or depth of these floral oils. The mimosa-like note is typical of the essential oil of atlas cedar- wood and it is not present in the so-called resinoid of the same wood. The odor characteristics can vary significantly. Certain lots of Atlas cedarwood oil are produced by other methods than the direct steam distillation, e.g. high-pressure steam distillation or alkali-treatment (so-called "pulping") prior to distillation. Consequently, the essential oil may contain certain odorous materials which are not present in the wood. **Atlas Cedarwood Oil **is widely used in perfumery for its fixative effect and unique odor which seems to blend so well with labdanum products and with all the woody and woody-floral types of perfume materials. Although large quantities of the oil are consumed locally as a household medicine of almost universal application, the oil finds its way into a wealth of European and American soap perfumes and other perfumes. The oil is rarely adulterated, but it may be confused with cedarwood oils from other species or areas. The only essential oil which has some similarity to **Atlas**** ****Cedarwood**** ****Oil**** **is the Himalayan **Deodar Cedarwood Oil**. This oil is derived from a close botanical relative (see **Cedarwood Oil**, **Himalaya).** **Atlas**** ****Cedarwood**** ****Absolute**** **(or cedrus atlantica absolute) is a name given to two entirely different types of perfume materials: - The absolute from concrète of Atlas cedarwood (see **Cedarwood**** ****Atlas**** ****Resinoid**) and - The heart fractions of Atlas cedarwood oil, redistilled under vacuum. This is not a true absolute.