Full Arctander text
#### Myrtle Oil.
Among the numerous perfume plants originating in the Mediterranean countries, is **Myrtus**** ****Communis,**** **a bush or a small tree that grows wild in Algeria, Corsica, France, Italy, Morocco, Portugal, Sardinia, Spain, Tunisia, Turkey, Yugoslavia, etc. The plant is also found abundantly on the island of Cyprus, but production of **Myrtle Oil **was abandoned in *1955, *prior to the author's last visit to Cyprus.
The essential oil is produced by steam distillation of the leaves and twigs; in some places, the flowers, which are highly fragrant, are also included. This explains partly the significant difference between the myrtle oils from various producing areas. Distillation takes place in France, (insignificant quantities), Corsica, Spain, Italy, Morocco, Tunisia and Yugoslavia.
**Myrtle Oil **is a pale yellow to orange-yellow or pale amber-colored mobile liquid of strongly camphoraceous-spicy, but also sweet-herbaceous and fresh body-notes. The better oils, e.g. Tunisian and Corsican myrtle oils, are very fresh and strong in topnotes, and yet display an almost floral sweetness and little or no residue note. Myrtle oil belongs unquestionably to the
"topnote" materials and not to the fixative oils. It blends excellently with bergamot, lavandin, lavender, rosemary, sage clary, hyssop, artemisia oils, lime oil, bay leaf oil, etc., and is thus an interesting item for colognes, also those of aldehydic type.
Furthermore, **Myrtle**** ****Oil **is used in flavors where it has found some popularity in meat sauces, seasonings, etc. in combination with spice oils and herb oils. In this respect, it blends well with clove bud oil, laurel leaf oil, cinnamon oils, cardamom oil, etc., giving freshness and lift to the heavy spices. It enhances the effect of ginger and it modifies nutmeg oil in a pleasant way. By itself, it is somewhat bitter and sharp, but when well blended, it acts favorably as a fresh and appetizing agent in many spice blends.
The annual production of **Myrtle Oil **ranges between 3 and 15 tons. Adulteration is not infrequent, and cineole, camphene and fractions from the production of lynalylacetate have been used for this purpose.