Tonka Bean, Absolute

Tonka Bean Absolute

Dipteryx odorata.

Absolute, Extracted in Brazil. Diluted at 20% in sugar cane alcohol. Sweet almost chocolate aroma. A must have for natural perfumers

From Arctander:

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 caramelic-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 20-45% coumarin, but the effect of a true Tonka absolute goes far beyond that of the coumarin contained in the absolute.

Tonka is a fixative and non-floral sweetener which introduces warm notes in chypres, fougères, new mown hay bases, lavender bouquets, Oriental bases, etc. It blends well with:

Lavender, lavandin, clary sage, bergamot, oakmoss

It’s not appropriate to use in favors (in the USA) , due to the ban on coumarin.

More from Arctander, on the beans themselves:

The seed is removed from the ripe fruit and dried and soaked in alcohol or rum for 12-24 hours. The seeds then swell, and when they are removed from the alcohol bath, they shrink on drying, and on the surface appears the well known crystalline frosting of coumarin.

For more on Tonka Bean, please look to Steffan Arctanders’s Perfume and Flavor Materials of Natural Origin. Since this book is out of print, and extremely costly if you find a real copy, I’ll say you might find it on Amazon……..and it looks a bit unusual, but never mind. This book is very hard to find and usually mightily expensive. Grab it when you can.

Safety Warning

As with most essential oils, dilute before using on skin. Perform a patch test before use if essential oil sensitivity is suspected. Do not take essential oils internally. Do not use on children or pets. Seek advice from a trained aromatherapist before using on people with compromised immune systems. Keep away from eyes and mucus membranes.
Enfleurage makes no medical claims relating to any products, essential oils or otherwise, on our website or through social media. We are an essential oil company, not doctors, The FDA has not evaluated the statements on this website. We present our information in order to educate our customers on traditional and general uses of essential oils; in no way do we diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent any disease or condition.
You the customer are responsible for understanding the safe use of any and all of our products, including essential oils, and use them accordingly.