Agar Oil

#### Agar Oil. This oil is water-distilled from fungus-infected wood of the tree **Aquilaria Agallocha**, growing in northeastern India. The tree is also found in certain parts of China. Healthy trees have an odorless wood which produces no essential oil. Only older trees are attacked by the fungi; thereafter an oleoresin is produced inside the wood. After proper maceration of the wood, this oleo. resin will yield an essential oil upon distillation. Wood from infected trees is cut and coarsely chopped, then soaked in water prior to distillation. It is common practice to add salt (sodium chloride) to the water (compare vetiver distillation in Réunion Island). Being a distillation at atmospheric pressure (100°C.), the process of total exhaustion of the wood is a lengthy one. The oil is high-boiling, and the distillation waters must be cohobated (i.e. returned to the still and redistilled) in order to produce a reasonable yield and a complete oil. A related tree, **Aquilaria**** ****Crassna**** **which grows in various parts of Indochina, is also attacked by fungi, resulting in the formation of an odorous secretion which can be extracted. This wood is locally known as **Eagle**** ****Wood.**** **Neither wood nor oils or resinous matter from this tree seem to be available outside of the country of origin. The name "**Aloe-Wood**" is used quite indiscriminately in India for a number of fragrant woods. The true Agar Wood has been known for several thousand years, and its use is possibly as old as that of sandalwood. **Agar**** ****Oil**** **is pale yellow to brownish yellow or dark amber in color; it is a very viscous liquid of rich and sweet-woody, almost balsamic odor not unlike that of vetiverol or purified styrenefree styrax, and with a sweetness similar to that of sandalwood oil. Agar Oil is not produced on a commercial scale unless demanded on firm orders. Locally, the so-called "attars" are used extensively in perfumery. These products are dilutions of the perfume oil in sandalwood oil or even in vegetable oils, e.g. sesame oil. For more details on "attars", see monograph on **Pandanus**. **Agar Oil **could find use in perfumery for oriental bases, woody-aldehydic bases, chypres, fougères, etc. when blended with vetiver oil, sandalwood, geranium, methylionones, linalool, etc. The oil produces interesting notes with isoeugenol in carnation bases. The taste of Agar **Oil**** **is extremely bitter, and it is not likely that the oil can find use in flavors beyond the local use for betel, tobacco, etc.