Rose de mai absolute

#### Rose Absolute, Centifolia. *"Rose** **de** **mai** **absolute":* One of the most extensively used of all the floral absolutes is the one obtained from the concrète of **Rosa**** ****Centifolia**** **flowers (see **Rose**** ****Concrète,**** ****Centifolia**). The processing of concrète into absolute is carried out in Morocco and France, to a small extent also in Italy and China. The yield of alcohol soluble absolute from centifolia concrète is usually better than that from rosa damascena, up to 67% in certain cases. **Rose**** ****de**** ****Mai**** ****Absolute**** **is an orange yellow to orange-brown viscous liquid, which has a rich and sweet, deep-rosy, very tenacious odor. The spicy tonalities are usually less pronounced, while the honeylike notes can be described as similar to those of the damascena absolute. When duly diluted, the flavor is pleasant, delicate, slightly balsamic-sweet with a faint woody-bitter undertone. The flavor effect is unusual in its diffusive power, and this absolute can "round off" and simultaneously "lift" many dull or harsh-synthetic flavor compositions. The suggested use level in flavors is 0.10 to 0.40 mg% (based upon concentration in the end product), and the **Minimum Perceptible **is 0.05 to 0.15 mg%. The presence of large amounts of phenylethyl alcohol in the absolute is responsible for the comparatively high figure for the minimum perceptible. The phenylethyl alcohol is water-soluble and acts as a cosolvent for other flavor principles in the absolute. The more components that go in true solution in the water, the weaker is the apparent flavor. The absolute finds some use in tobacco flavoring, but its main use is that of a flavor "bouquetting" material in countless fruit flavors, etc. Rose de mai absolute is used very extensively in high-priced and medium-priced perfumes, particularly in floral bases, chypres, Oriental bases, etc., and also generally as a "touch" to round off the sharp corners or rough notes in synthetic compositions. It blends well with jasmin, cassie, mimosa, orange flower and other florals, as well as with most of the synthetic perfume materials such as geraniol, citronellol, dimethyl octanol, nerol, phenylethyl alcohol, eugenol, nonanol, linalool, phenylethyl propionate, isobutyl phenylacetate, etc. or with modifying essential oils such as bergamot, sage clary, geranium, sandalwood, guaiacwood, patchouli oil, etc. Its excellent tenacity and soft radiation makes it comparatively economical in use. At less than half the price of the Bulgarian rosa damascena absolute, the centifolia absolute has become increasingly popular as a perfume material in countless bases for use in cosmetics, etc. The conventional perfume for a cold cream or a cleansing cream has long been a rose type, and in face powder perfumes, centifolia absolute also finds wide application. The rapid growth and expansion of the Moroccan rose cultivation shows that this material is about to become one of the most important perfume raw materials of present times. **Rose de Mai Absolute **is frequently adulterated. Small amounts of ethyl alcohol are tolerated, but over 2—3% should not be present. Phenylethyl alcohol is the main constituent, and the amount of this can be increased cautiously so that the nose may not detect it. Instrumental analysis will reveal this fraud. Rhodinol (from geranium oil) is added as another "diluent", costus oil as a "bouquetting" material, clove bud absolute, palmarosa oil fractions, Peru balsam oil, synthetic laevo-citronellol, etc. are among the common additives most of which will be detected during a thorough olfactory examination of the rose de mai absolute sample. See **Rose**** ****Concrète,**** ****Centifolia**** **for production figures, etc.