Calamus Oil, derived from the rhizome of the Acorus calamus plant, is a lesser-known fragrance raw material classified as an 'OTHER' type. It possesses a unique, earthy, and slightly sweet aroma, often described as reminiscent of a blend of sweet and spicy notes. In perfumery, Calamus Oil is typically used in small quantities to add depth and complexity to compositions, particularly in oriental and woody fragrances. It can serve as a bridge between floral and spicy elements, enhancing the overall olfactory experience. However, it is important to note that Calamus Oil has been subject to regulatory scrutiny due to potential safety concerns. It is not commonly listed among the standard IFRA restricted materials, but perfumers should exercise caution and conduct thorough safety assessments when incorporating it into formulations. As with many natural extracts, the quality and characteristics of Calamus Oil can vary significantly based on its source and extraction method, making it essential for perfumers to source it from reputable suppliers. — AI-generated summary, 2026-09-02.
Warm, spicy-woody root oil with a distinctive earthy, slightly leathery character and a sweet balsamic undertone. Facets of ginger-like warmth, cinnamon-tinged spice and a musty herbaceous depth emerge over time, giving a rich, tenacious oriental impression.AI · claude-opus-4-7
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Perfume and Flavor Materials of Natural Origin, page 86.
Calamus oil is generally a pale yellow to pale brown, viscous liquid.
Calamus oil has a warm, woody-spicy and pleasant odor with increasingly sweet afternotes and great tenacity. Poorer oils show more or less pronounced camphoraceous or cineolic notes. The odor of good oils bears some resemblance to the odor of dried milk or sweet leather, slightly creamy-nutty.
The flavor of Calamus Oil is equally warm-spicy, yet slightly bitter with a slowly growing, pungent aftertaste.
Calamus oil is useful in perfumes of the woody-oriental type, in leather-bases, ambres, etc. It blends excellently with cananga, cinnamon, costus, labdanum, olibanum, patchouli, ionones, and methylionones, cis-para-tertiary butylcyclohexanyl acetate, nitromusks, grisambrol, and cedarwood derivatives.
In flavors, the oil finds some application with cardamom, angelica, ginger, etc. in spice blends and flavors for alcoholic beverages.
Calamus Oil is steam distilled from the rhizomes of the wild growing or cultivated Acorus Calamus.
Restricted IFRA-standard materials typically present in this NCS at the listed concentrations.
| Constituent | CAS | Typical % |
|---|---|---|
| CIS-AND TRANS-ASARONE | 494-40-6 | 70.7% |
| CIS-ASARONE/BETA-ASARONE | 5273-86-9 | 70% |
| TRANS-ASARONE/ALPHA-ASARONE | 2883-98-9 | 0.7% |
| FARNESOL | 4602-84-0 | 0.5% |
| METHYL EUGENOL | 93-15-2 | 0.3% |
| EUGENOL | 97-53-0 | 0.2% |