Tonka Bean Absolute

$34.00

Tonka Bean Absolute 10% in DPG, essential oil for perfumery | The Parfum Apothecary

Tonka Bean Absolute

$34.00

Size

Description

Absolute | Dipteryx odorata

Tonka beans are the seeds of Dipteryx odorata, a large tree native to Venezuela and Brazil, and the absolute extracted from them is one of the most useful and beloved materials in the perfumer’s palette. It's warm, sweet, and intensely coumarinic, with the smell of new-mown hay, vanilla, almond, and a quiet caramel depth that makes it one of the great natural fixatives and sweeteners in fine fragrance. Coumarin makes up 20-45% of the absolute by weight, but the full aromatic effect of tonka goes considerably beyond what isolated coumarin alone can deliver; the interplay of the remaining components adds a complexity and warmth that synthetic coumarin cannot replicate. With a longevity of over 400 hours on a smelling strip, it anchors a composition as well as any material in this collection.

Available in two forms: neat, as a pale straw-coloured paste that requires gentle warming to work with, and pre-diluted to 10% in DPG for immediate use without needing to melt or measure a solid.

Character

Profoundly warm and sweet from the first moment, with an edible richness that reads as French patisserie, vanilla custard, and warm almond, all underpinned by the dry, hay-like coumarinic quality that is tonka’s most distinctive contribution. There is a subtle spice note running through it, a faint cinnamon warmth, and a quiet tobacco-like undertone in the base that adds sophistication and stops it from reading as purely sweet or confectionery. It is a material that blends easily and improves almost everything it touches at the right concentration.

Usage & Blending

Tonka Bean Absolute works as a base note fixative, natural sweetener, coumarinic modifier, and essential structural ingredient across a wide range of fragrance families.

Recommended concentration: 0.64% average in a perfume compound. IFRA Category 4 (fine fragrance) limit: 2% in the finished product.

Particularly effective in:

Fougere structures where coumarin and tonka are foundational
Oriental and amber bases
Gourmand fine fragrance where natural warmth and edible depth are the brief
Lavender and aromatic compositions needing a warm, sweet base anchor
New mown hay accords alongside coumarin, lavender, and flouve

Blends well with:

Herbs: lavender, lavandin, clary sage
Citrus: bergamot for lift
Musks and ambers as a base extension
Florals: rose, jasmine, ylang ylang
Resins: benzoin, labdanum, vanilla

Technical Details

Material Type: Absolute
Botanical Name: Dipteryx odorata Willd.
Common Name: Tonka Bean Absolute; Absolue de Fève Tonka
Plant Part: Seeds (beans)
Extraction Method: Solvent extraction
CAS Number: 8046-22-8
INCI Name: Dipteryx Odorata Bean Extract
Origin: Brazil
Odour Profile: Warm, sweet, coumarinic, hay-like, vanilla, almond, caramel, faint cinnamon and tobacco; profoundly rich and long-lasting
Appearance: Pale straw coloured paste (neat); mobile liquid when diluted
Solubility: Soluble in alcohol and DPG
Key Components: Coumarin (20-45%); ethyl coumarin, dihydrocoumarin, and additional balsamic components
Regulatory Status: IFRA 51 compliant at 2% in finished product (Category 4). SDS documentation can be supplied upon request where available.

Safety & Handling

For external use only. Do not ingest
IFRA Category 4 limit 2% in the finished product; observe applicable limits for other application categories
Dilute before skin application; patch test recommended for sensitive individuals
Avoid contact with eyes
Neat form: warm gently in a water bath to soften before use; do not overheat
10% DPG dilution requires no warming
Store tightly sealed in a cool, dark place away from direct sunlight
Shelf life: 3-5 years when stored correctly

And get 10% off your first order

Tonka Bean Absolute

Tonka Bean Absolute

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