Elecampane Absolute

#### Elecampane Absolute. An oleoresin or a concrète can be produced by volatile solvent extraction of the roots of **Inula**** ****Helenium **(see **Elecampane Oil). **The concrète is rarely used as such in perfumery but it is further processed to an alcohol-soluble absolute by the conventional method (see **Absolute**, Part One of this book). **Elecampane**** ****Absolute**** **is a dark olive-green or brown, semi-solid mass which is hardly pourable at room temperature. Its odor is very soft, woodyrootlike, slightly fatty-sweet or "oily", extremely tenacious. The material blends well in perfumes with ionones, methylionones, heliotropine, sandalwood, bergamot, orris products, cistus oil, labdanum products, cypress oil, etc. **Elecampane Absolute **produces interesting notes in ambre bases, woody-floral or oriental bases, heavy fragrances, etc. such as mentioned under elecampane oil. The absolute has a less earthy, more tenacious and rich odor than the essential oil. The absolute is produced in France from imported or locally grown roots. Experimental batches of elecampane absolute have been produced lately in China. The annual world production of this absolute is probably less than 100 kilos. The author has, however, some suspicion as to the genuineness of the samples and shipments of **Elecampane**** ****Absolute**** **which form the basis of the information in this monograph (in respect to odor description). On the other hand, if only a few producers offer this material, one must consider the product arbitrarily as a "perfume material" and not as a "guaranteed 100% pure extract of elecampane root". One meets this problem quite frequently when dealing with rare perfume materials. **Elecampane**** ****Absolute**** **is presumably used as an adulterant in costus oil and perhaps in other expensive essential oils. ---