NATURALSTOGETHER(r)
Labdanum
Ambery, woody, resinous, balsamic, leathery
Labdanum profiles are are usually more intense, longer-lasting, with leathery dry-down and animalic notes than other profiles from Cistus family.
Absolutes profiles offer hints of floral notes on top, and deep warm, long-lasting dry-down notes.
With citrus on top & moss / patchouli on bottom, labdanum is the key heart note of the famous chypre family.
A primary extraction with a volatile solvent on fresh or dry biomass yields to a Concrete or Resinoid.
The Absolute is obtained via a second purification step in the process.
Extracted part: gum.
Used in perfumery for 3,000 years, the shrub Cistus ladaniferus originated in the middle East and the coastal mountains of Eastern Mediterranean. Today, the bushes are found in all countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea. To protect itself from the sun and heat, the plant produces a gum that envelops the twigs and leaves. It takes approximately three years for the plant to grow enough before it is possible to cut off the cistus branches, therefore the young branches are highly prized.
The Cistus essential oil and absolute are obtained directly from the small branches and leaves while the resinoid and absolute of Labdanum are produced from the Labdanum gum. To obtain this Labdanum gum, the leafy Cistus ladaniferus branches are first immersed in hot alkaline water.
In perfumery, both Cistus branches and Labdanum gum are used. With extensive experience processing Cistus and Labdanum extracts, dsm-firmenich uses a variety of technologies to offer a large range of products.
Spain
dsm-firmenich sources its Cistus from the Andevalo region of Andalusia, in southern Spain. Native to the Mediterranean region, Cistus ladaniferus is a perennial shrub that exudes a scented resin, called labdanum, which has been used for thousands of years in Perfumery and herbal medicine.
The harvest of wild cistus follows a sustainable cycle. Wheat fields are left fallow for two to three years between crops, during which they are naturally repopulated by wild cistus. Pickers collect the plants by hand during the summer and early autumn, after which the cycle begins again. The pickers pay attention to harvest the branches not too short to allow regrowth and a sustainable approach to this wild product. The twigs and leaves are then bundled for delivery and extraction. Our local supplier has been producing a range cistus derivates for over 30 years at their state-of-the-art factory in the village of Puebla de Guzman.