Not the clean, sweet vanilla of food flavouring. Vanilla Absolute carries a dark, animalic richness that is warm and resinous at its core, with phenolic, tarry, and smoky facets that give it complexity. Woody undertones provide structure beneath the sweetness. On a smelling strip it develops slowly, with an odour life of around 6 hours, revealing its full character over time.

Vanilla Absolute works as a base note, fixative, and blending bridge between sweet and dark accords.

Recommended concentration: 0.05–0.5% typical usage in a finished compound, up to 5% maximum. If working with the pure absolute, pre-dilute in DPG or alcohol before weighing for accuracy.

Particularly effective in:

Oriental, gourmand, and ambery compositions
Tobacco and leather accords where a dark, phenolic sweetness is needed
Chypre bases as a soft, resinous anchor
Boosting and rounding other vanilla or coumarin-forward materials

Blends well with:
Resins and balsams like benzyl benzoate, labdanum, tolu balsam
Musks
Tobacco, hay, and coumarin materials
Oud, sandalwood, and other dark woods
Spices like clove, cinnamon, cardamom

Suitable for non-perfumery applications such as candles and home fragrance where a warm, smoky vanilla depth is desired (within IFRA limits, see CAS number below).

Start conservatively as the phenolic and tarry facets can dominate at higher concentrations, particularly in lighter compositions.

Material Type: Natural absolute
Botanical Name: Vanilla planifolia
Plant Part: Cured bean pods
Extraction Method: Solvent extraction; diluted to 10% in Di Propylene Glycol
CAS Number: 8024-06-4
Origin: Not specified
Odour Profile: Vanilla, phenolic, tar, smoke, wood
Appearance: Dark brown to amber liquid
Solubility: Soluble in alcohol and DPG
Key Components: Vanilla Absolute (Vanilla planifolia), and Di Propylene Glycol (DPG) in diluted version
Regulatory Status: SDS and/or IFRA documentation can be supplied upon request where available.

For external use only. Do not ingest
May stain due to dark colour
Follow IFRA guidelines for finished product limits
Store in a cool, dark place in a tightly sealed container
Shelf life: 3–5 years when stored correctly