Dictam Oil

#### Dictam Oil. **Dictam Oil **is steam distilled from the flowering tops of **Dictamnus Hispanicus**, a small plant which belongs to the same family as the rue plant. Dictam herb has been a common drug store item for many decades and the fragrant leaves were previously used as a culinary herb and as a house medicine. The essential oil is distilled on a very small scale in Spain and only upon demand. The plant grows wild in several countries in southern Europe and north Africa. The production of **Dictam**** ****Oil **could be increased considerably in case of more interest from perfume of flavor houses. **Dictam Oil **is a pale yellow mobile liquid of very fresh, sweet and anisic odor, reminiscent of Texas goldenrod oil. The odor also resembles that of estragon but it is less green-herbal than this. There is finally some resemblance to the odor of dill weed oil which has a slightly burning taste, while dictam oil has a milder, intensely sweet taste. **Dictam Oil **could be used in perfumes to introduce topnotes or modifying notes in fougères, chypres, colognes, in lilac and ylang-ylang bases, narcissus and other floral bases, etc. In flavors the oil blends well with mild spice oils, such as anise, basil, dill, goldenrod, hyssop, estragon, etc. It may find use in seasonings, table sauces, pickles, etc. The suggested use level is 0.50 to 1.50 mg% (perhaps higher in acid media) and **the**** ****Minimum**** ****Perceptible**** **is about 0.03 to 0.08 mg%. It has been mentioned that **Dictam**** ****Oil**** **is occasionally used as an adulterant for sweet (French) **Basil**** ****Oil.**