Reseda Absolute

#### Reseda Absolute. This very rare perfume material is prepared from several varieties of **Reseda Odorata**, a plant of Middle Eastern origin, known since antiquity and cultivated for its potential therapeutic value. The plant is known as an ornamental annual under the name of **Mignonette**. The flowers in particular (but also the entire overground parts of the plant) have long attracted the interest of perfume oil manufacturers. The plant was introduced in France several hundred years ago, and is still cultivated there on a modest scale. **Reseda Odorata **is also cultivated as an annual in northern Europe, but can grow to become a shrub in the south (e.g. in North Africa). The **Reseda Absolute **is obtained via the concrète which is prepared by petroleum ether extraction of the flowers. These will inevitably include various amounts of foliage from the top of the plant, contributing significantly to the peculiar green note in the odor complex of the absolute. The absolute is prepared by alcohol washing of the concrète. The yield of absolute is about 0.06% calculated upon the weight of dried flower material. Obviously, this absolute is expensive. Today, the annual production of **Reseda Flower Absolute **can be measured in grammes, rather than kilos. It hardly exceeds *5 *kilos in France which is the main producer. **Reseda Flower Absolute **is a very dark, orange or olive-brown colored viscous liquid which solidifies to a paste slightly below room temperature. The odor is intensely herbaceous-green, with a sweet, watercress-like undertone, and not at all sharp. A peculiar sweetness, reminiscent of roasted chicory-root and with a spicy mellowness, forms the tenacious body, upon which the green note rests. The author has no experience with reseda flower absolute of recent production. He is inclined to assume that his most recent samples are not exclusively genuine extracts of the flowers of **Reseda**** ****Odorata.**** **It is quite possible, however, that the true absolute still exists, and is used in a few French perfumes where the effect is no doubt extremely important. Its application is somewhat similar to that of violet leaf absolute. The latter material is used as an adulterant in reseda flower absolute along with basil oil, estragon oil, narcissus absolute and various synthetic perfume materials. **Reseda Root **has been distilled, and it yields an essential oil of extremely pungent, lachrymatory effect, reminiscent of horseradish oil. Reseda root oil has only academical interest, and it finds no place in perfumery or flavor work.