A recent trip to Grasse, France was an olfactory adventure that left us spellbound. The Blackcurrant Bud Absolute, also known as Bourgeons de Cassis Absolute in French, was a standout fragrance that stole our hearts. The absolute is extracted from only the flower buds, using a benign hexane-free extraction process. This results in a rich, sweet wine-like middle note that can add depth and complexity to natural perfume blends. However, it's crucial to use this absolute with the utmost frugality, as less is more when it comes to Blackcurrant Bud Absolute.
The aroma of Blackcurrant Bud Absolute is incredibly fascinating and nuanced. It's a fragrance that encompasses tart green and fruity notes with a hint of ammonia crossed with indolic notes. The peculiar scent, which some describe as sulfur or cat piss, is attributed to a particular chemical constituent called 4-methoxy-2-methylbutan-2-thiol. Nonetheless, perfumers adore this absolute because of its olfactory detection, which is reputedly 1:1,000,000 billion. This allows them to make subtle changes to a scent with the tiniest amount of Blackcurrant Bud Absolute.
Blackcurrant, or Ribes nigrum, is a plant that produces round black berries used in culinary dishes and beverages. The plants used for this absolute are grown organically in the Burgundy Region of France, where blackcurrant berries are an integral part of winemaking. However, over 660 pounds of buds are required to produce just one kilo of absolute. The extracted flower buds yield an absolute with a distinctive strong blackcurrant aroma used in perfumery rather than aromatherapy. Nonetheless, the calming aroma of this absolute may also make it useful in anti-anxiety or meditation blends.
Solubility note: This absolute is very tricky to work with, but really worth the effort. The producer recommends alcohol (96%), DPG, or Castor oil for diluting the pure absolute. The reason Castor Oil is singled out from a long list of carrier oils is because it’s pretty much the only unsaturated fat that has a high amount of polarity, as all other oils are nonpolar or slightly polar. Jojoba, coconut, and avocado are slightly polar and it didn’t dissolve in Jojoba. Castor Oil is the best carrier to solubilize the absolute. Of the other oils tried, such as Jojoba, there was partial solubility with still quite a bit of sediment (undissolved parts) that collected in the bottom of the beaker. For those that prefer the convenience of a ready to use dilution we have 20% in Castor oil available.
Aromatherapy use: None documented.
General use: Natural and fine perfume, base note fixative, fragrance ingredient: soap, lotions, diffusers, potpourri, air fresheners, bath oils, and more.
Contraindications: None known
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