Hyacinth Absolute

#### Hyacinth Absolute. Probably originally from Asia Minor or the Balkans, the **Hyacinthus**** ****Orientalis**** **is now cultivated on a large scale in Holland, mainly for the production of bulbs which are exported to garden-owners all over the world. At a certain moment, there are substantial quantities of flowers available for extraction. In Holland, there is only one producer of importance, and this house probably produces 90 percent or more of all **Hyacinth**** ****Absolute**** **in the world. The annual world production in 1958 was estimated at 175 kilos. Extraction is performed either by the conventional two-step method via the concrète, or by the more recently developed adsorption method. The odorous principles are adsorbed on silicagel or prepared charcoal in a cylinder. The fragrance from the flowers is forced through this cylinder in an atmosphere of nitrogen or carbon dioxide. The gas acts as a carrier for the flower odor. In spite of the very limited production, Hyacinth Absolute is offered by a multitude of suppliers, and in a multitude of qualities, prices, etc. The appearance and odor varies too, and it is well-nigh impossible to give a description of a true, uncut absolute. Some perfumers even go so far as to state that, "if a product smells of hyacinths, it is definitely not a true hyacinth absolute! ". Incidentally, very few flower oils will, undiluted and in a pure state, smell like the flower from which they are extracted. Dilutions down to 0.1 percent or even less will usually develop the true-to-nature odor. **Hyacinth Absolute **is (usually) a reddish-brown or dark brown to greenish-brown, viscous liquid, and it has an intensely sweet, green-floral, but somewhat sharp and at first unpleasant odor; later in its tremendous tenacity, it tones down to a very hyacinth-like, floral and foliage-green fragrance. The absolute could be used in a variety of floral fragrances, provided that it were available at a reasonable cost (it is offered at anything from $ 1000 to over $ 12,000 per kilo), and if it were readily available, uniform and reliable. The composing of an artificial hyacinth perfume base is still a favorite problem for many perfumers. Frequent adulteration of the commercial lots of so-called hyacinth absolutes with narcissus absolute, violet leaf absolute, ylang-ylang, and a wealth of synthetic materials, has only encouraged perfumers to try composing their own hyacinth base, rather than buy adulterated material. Artificial hyacinth perfume bases may be composed from cinnamic alcohol, styrax products, phenyl propyl alcohol, phenyl acetaldehyde, phenyl ethyl alcohol, galbanum resinoid, ylang-ylang oils, isoeugenol, floranol, tolyl acetate, phenyl ethyl cinnamate, terpineol, hydroxycitronellal, methoxy phenyl butanone, amyl salicylate, benzyl cyanide, benzyl formate, amyl cinnamic aldehyde, indole, phenyl-ethyl dimethyl carbinol, etc. etc. To the author's opinion, the perfume industry can do very well without a true (and unreasonably expensive) **Hyacinth Absolute.**