Tonka Absolute

Odour

Very rich, sweet and warm, distinctly coumarinic-herbaceous, with a prune-like or caramellic-sweet undertone. The odor description 'tobacco-like' is somewhat confusing since tonka tincture has been used quite extensively in the flavoring of cured tobacco leaves.

Flavour

Cannot be used in flavors in countries where a coumarin ban exists (U.S.A. and others).

Blends well with

bergamot cinnamates citronellylesters clary sage flouve geranylesters heliotropine lavandin lavender menthylesters oakmoss products phenylacetates salicylates styrax products

Common adulterants

synthetic coumarin

Used as a blend partner in

Nutmeg Extract

Notes

Contains 20-45% Coumarin. The effect of true tonka absolute goes far beyond that of the coumarin contained, explaining its continuous use almost a century after synthetic coumarin appeared on the market. Used as fixative and non-floral sweetener.

Full Arctander text

#### Tonka Absolute. A tincture can be prepared from dried comminuted tonka "beans" with ethyl alcohol (see monograph on **Tonka**** ****"Bean"**** **next). The strength of the alcohol may vary from 70 % to 85 % by volume. A tincture is a cold-processed, one-step extraction product and does not contain all of the aromatic principles of the tonka bean. After the evaporation of a tincture of tonka bean, some fats and waxes are left in the residue. Consequently, the best way of producing an alcohol-soluble extract (an Absolute) of tonka bean is the conventional two-step extraction via the Concrète (see **Tonka Concrète**). Through the use of sufficiently diluted alcohol, or by freezing the alcoholic washings, it is possible to eliminate the fats and waxes (from the concrète), part of which are carried over in the alcohol washings. After removal of the alcohol under gentle vacuum, the **Tonka**** ****Absolute**** **is left. **Tonka Extracts **may also be prepared by direct hydro-alcoholic percolation of the crushed seeds, usually without the application of heat. This leads to so-called **Absolutes**** **(or "**Resin-****Absolutes**). **Tonka**** ****Absolute**** **is a semi-solid or crystalline mass of pale amber or pale brownish-yellow color. Its odor is very rich, sweet and warm, distinctly coumarinic-herbaceous, with a prune-like or caramellic-sweet undertone. The odor description "tobacco-like" is somewhat confusing since tonka tincture has been used quite extensively in the flavoring of cured tobacco leaves. The absolute consists of from 20 to 45% **Coumarin**, but the effect of a true tonka absolute goes far beyond that of the coumarin contained in the absolute (see also **Vanilla**). In this fact lies the explanation for the continuous use of tonka absolute today, almost a century after the appearance of synthetic coumarin on the perfume and flavor market. **Tonka**** ****Absolute**** **is used as a fixative and non- floral sweetener which introduces warm notes in chypres, fougères, new mown hay bases, lavender bouquets, Oriental bases, etc. It blends very well with lavender, lavandin, clary sage, flouve, phenylacetates, salicylates, cinnamates, styrax products, heliotropine, bergamot, oakmoss products, geranylesters, citronellylesters, menthylesters, etc. An adulteration with synthetic coumarin is not always easy to detect, but comparing samples with home-made standard extracts prepared in the perfume laboratory will usually tell the perfumer whether an offered tonka absolute is genuine or not. **Tonka**** ****Absolute**** **can not be used in flavors in those countries where a coumarin ban exists (U.S.A. and others).