Almond, Bitter
Details
- Botanical Name: Prunus amygdalus var. amara
- Origin: Morocco
- Process: Hydrodistilled Essential Oil, FFPA (Free from Prussic Acid)
- Plant Part: Nut/Kernel
- Cultivation: Conventional
- Use: Natural Perfumery. Always dilute.
- Note: Top to Middle Note
- Aroma Family: Gourmand
- Aroma: Sweet, nutty, intense aroma of almonds reminiscent of marzipan and almond extract, with strong notes of cherry.
- Contraindications: NOT FOR INGESTION; please see Safety Considerations below.
Certificate of Analysis (COA)Safety Data Sheet (SDS)
Overview
Bitter Almond Oil – Prussic Acid-Free
Nutty-sweet with notes of cherry, our Bitter Almond essential oil is a delightful addition to any perfumer’s aromatic palette. Unlike its cousin the Sweet Almond and the extract of almonds, Bitter Almonds naturally contain traces of prussic acid (also known as hydrogen cyanide) making them ultimately lethal to ingest and a good thing to avoid. Our Bitter Almond essential oil is steam distilled from the crushed and pressed kernels of the apricot fruit1 (it can also be extracted from the kernels of cherries, plums and peaches2), then rectified to remove the toxic prussic acid. However, this oil is still NOT SUITABLE FOR INGESTION in any way, and must be used with caution as it can cause severe skin irritation in sensitive individuals.
Benzaldehyde, the primary constituent in Bitter Almond essential oil, has a long history of commercial use in fragrances. One of the classic gourmand aromas, Bitter Almond oil smells like marzipan (almond paste) heaven – rich, intense and very food-like. It lends a sweet, nutty, cherry-like top note to natural perfumes, and a seductive and alluring nuance to men’s colognes.3 True Bitter Almond essential oil oxidizes very rapidly upon exposure to air and will form crystals of benzoic acid right before your eyes, therefore we recommend keeping this oil refrigerated and tightly capped.
This oil is for perfumery only and not for consumption. Keep Bitter Almond essential oil well out of the reach of children.
For information regarding the use of Bitter Almond in perfumery, please see:
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Perfume and Flavor Materials of Natural Origin, Steffen Arctander, 1960, p. 51-54.
Aromatic Profile: Sweet, nutty, intense aroma of almonds reminiscent of marzipan and almond extract, with strong notes of cherry.
Appearance: Colorless, transparent, mobile liquid.
Use: Natural Perfumery.
Blending Suggestions: Dilute and add drop by drop to your blends until the desired affect is achieved.
Blends Well With: Amyris, Balsam of Peru, Butter, Cocao, Coffee, Jasmine, Osmanthus, Patchouli, Sandalwood, Tonka Bean, Vanilla, Ylang Ylang. Bitter Almond essential oil blends well "with anisic-balsamic types of odor, for example in lilac and other sweet florals."4 This oil has no fixative value because it is highly volatile5 thus the aroma fades very quickly, but the addition of vanillin [as found in Vanilla Absolute and Vanilla CO2] "may greatly improve the tenacity and stability of the oil."6
Safety Considerations: None known. Old or oxidized oil should be avoided,7 therefore refrigeration is highly recommended. PLEASE NOTE: this product is FFPA (Free from Prussic Acid) for your safety. NOT FOR INGESTION. Dilute before using. A patch test should be performed before use for those with sensitive skin.
1 Industry communication.
2 Arctander, Steffen. Perfume and Flavor Materials of Natural Origin, 1960, p. 51.
4 Arctander, Steffen. Perfume and Flavor Materials of Natural Origin, 1960, p. 53.
5 Ibid.
6 Ibid.
7 Tisserand, Robert and Rodney Young. Essential Oil Safety, 2nd ed., 2014, pp. 191-2.
The FDA has not evaluated the statements on this website. No claims are made by Eden Botanicals as to the medicinal value of any products from Eden Botanicals. The information presented here is for educating our customers about the traditional uses of essential oils and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. You are responsible for understanding the safe application of these products. If you have any questions, please call or email us for further information.
Customer Reviews for Almond, Bitter
- True Almond smell Review by Aroma Alchemist
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Rating One of the most volatile oils I have ever experienced....The smell seems to be gone in 10 minutes if applied neat to the skin....But those 10 minutes are pure almond love....I love mixing this with cacao, labdanum and nutmeg to create a delectable chocolate amber accord.....its a great tippy top note to play with...but beware...It does not take much to be potent in a blend...(Posted on 3/30/2018)
- Yummy! Review by Rosalie Stafford
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Rating I added some (a little too much, possibly: the entire sample vial) to a batch of coffee eye creme (12 oz organic ground coffee infused for a month in 20 oz sunflower oil, then strained & coffee oil whipped with 8 oz shea butter). I was striving for a scent evocative of coffee & rich pastry. I don't know if that's what I achieved, but it sure smells yummy.(Posted on 2/2/2018)
- Cherry goodness Review by Justin
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Rating If you like the smell of marischino cherries in a super concentrated form, this is the oil for you. Works wonders for gourmand blends, but use with caution. Very strong stuff and one or two drops too many will easily overpower your blend.(Posted on 10/18/2017)
- Delicious Scent Review by Felicia
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Rating I love this scent. It has a wonderful warm sweet note, a cherry almond scent that smells like a pastry shop. I recently added this to a long list aroma ingredients to make a custom blend for myself. I am looking forward to being able to wear this. My only compliant is that I wish it stayed a little longer on the skin. I have to be sure I add glucam(Perfume Fixative (Glucam™ P-20 humectant) This fixative is what most perfumers use to help the perfume top notes last longer. Average use is 5 to 20 drops per one ounce of perfume. Glucam™ P-20 humectant. Using too much can flatten or dampen a perfume).(Posted on 3/14/2017)
- Use Caution! Review by Elizabeth
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This oil smells amazing and I am using it to add with some other oils and butters. However, PLEASE use caution whenever adding this. I accidentally dripped a bit of the oil onto my skin while adding it with a dropper and it caused intense burning that made me very lightheaded. I may have just had a severe reaction but this is the first oil I have ever had react on my skin this way. It smells beautiful but just be cautious.(Posted on 9/15/2016)
- smalls beautiful and authentic Review by sandra
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Rating I mixed mine with cocoa, & vanilla, excellent, smells exactly like cooking almond flavoring.(Posted on 8/2/2016)
- Beautiful Review by Bab
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This is a beautiful bright almond that works well as a top note.(Posted on 1/12/2015)
- Gourmand's delight! Review by Cronezilla
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A lovely, almondy topnote! Perfect for sweet, gourmandy- "marzipan", candy effects. Not terribly lasting, but very sweet and pleasant. Seems to combine well with rose, vanilla, red berries and light musks.(Posted on 9/30/2014)
- Almond Extract Review by Florence
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This reminds me of almond extract used for baking. It opens with a very sweet cherry hit and then it's straight almond extract. So, yes it smells edible. It also reminds me of the almond scented lotions that you can find in drugstores, which I actually like. It is a very fleeting scent and lacks any longevity. As it quickly dried down, I picked up a very soft floral hint. Since I had been smelling other oils, I'm not sure the floral was actually there or was a "ghost" from something I smelled earlier.(Posted on 9/8/2014)
- yes...marzipan! Review by Cheryl
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I ordered a small sample to test. The oil is very bright and light and would serve well as a top note. Its profile is very cherry very marzipan and it does smell very edible. There is a tail end of something nutty but also a bit harsh on my skin. It reminds me of a comet or shooting star. Impressive and a delight, but no depth or lasting ability. It winks out on my skin in minutes. A skilled blender could make interesting use of this I imagine.(Posted on 7/31/2014)
