Myrrh Oil

#### Myrrh Oil. By steam distillation of crude myrrh, an essential oil is obtained, appropriately called **Myrrh**** ****Oil**. It is worth mentioning that materials based mainly upon **Myrrh Extracts**, perhaps washed and neutralized, partly decolorized, are frequently offered as **Myrrh Oil **even by well-known essential oil suppliers. Similar mislabellings are observed with costus oil, lovage oil, elecampane oil, etc. These extracts are not true essential oils although they may contain all—or part of—the essential oil available in the botanical raw material. In the extracts, the essential oils are accompanied by non-volatile matter which often has little or no odor value or which may act as odor-depressants. Steam distilled **Myrrh Oil **is produced in Europe and in the U.S.A. by more or less experienced essential oil houses. A select raw material and a profound "know-how" of distillation technique is indeed "essential" in order to obtain good oils from oleo-gum-resins, spices, herbs, etc. **Myrrh**** ****Oil**** **is a pale yellow to pale orange or amber-colored, oily, but not very viscous liquid. Its odor is warm-spicy, often showing a very peculiar, sharp-balsamic, slightly medicinal top- note with a delightful "lift", free from any terebinthinate notes. The sweetness increases to a deep, warm-spicy and aromatic dryout which is quite unique and difficult to duplicate. The tenacity is not very outstanding (unless the oil contains extracted matter!). The flavor of myrrh oil is warm, somewhat pungent, but very rich and pleasantly aromatic. **Myrrh**** ****Oil**** **is used in small amounts in perfumes of the heavy-floral type, heavy-Oriental type, woody-balsamic bases, etc. and it is excellent in high-class forest notes, moss notes, etc. modified with cypress oil, juniperberry oil, mandarin petitgrain oil, etc. The oil is occasionally used in oral preparations, dentrifrice flavors, etc. The annual production of **Myrrh**** ****Oil**** **is heavily fluctuating according to demand which is generally very weak. It is estimated that less than 1 metric ton is produced annually.