Galbanum Oil

#### Galbanum Oil. Galbanum oil is steam distilled or steam-and- water distilled from **Galbanum **(see previous monograph). The "soft" or "Levant" type of galbanum is preferred since it contains far more essential oil. The yield of **Galbanum**** ****Oil**** **by steam/water distillation is usually in excess of 15%, often around 22%, calculated upon the weight of the crude botanical material. The author has obtained yields of 26% of galbanum oil from good qualities of galbanum. Distillation is undertaken far away from the origin of **Galbanum; **usually the oil is distilled in France, Germany, England or in the U.S.A., and it is quite customary for perfume houses to distil their own galbanum oil. As a rule, certain fractions of the distillate are eliminated prior to bulking of the essential oil. Sulfide odors in the light fractions (heads) and strong paintyterpeney notes in the tail fractions (and in the medium-light fractions), particularly those rich in alpha- and beta-pinene, are usually left out. A partially deterpenized (monoterpene-free) oil is known as Galbanol. There is no actual standard as to the composition of galbanum oil or galbanol, and the selection of fractions is primarily a matter of esthetics. **Galbanum Oil **is a colorless to pale yellow or pale olive-yellow, mobile liquid which possesses an intensely green, fresh-leafy odor with a dry- woody undertone of balsamic, bark like character. A very striking description often heard is "like green peppers or tossed green salad". The oil has a pine-like topnote which is less pronounced in the odor of the resinoid. The latter, in turn, has a more woody-balsamic, conifer-resinous character. The pine-like topnote can be removed by fractional distillation of the oil. The woody-balsamic, soft- green and tenacious undertone can be isolated in the high-boiling fractions. **Galbanol**** **is a trade name for the latter type of galbanum oil fractions. Galbanum oil finds extensive use, although always in very modest concentrations, in compositions of chypre, fougère, pine, forest, moss, etc., and it will introduce interesting notes in many florals where its leafy character is necessary in the completion of a true naturalness: hyacinth, violet, narcissus, lavender, gardenia, etc. It blends well with cinnamic alcohol, coumarin, cuminaldehyde, dimethyl benzyl carbinol, geraniol, geranium oil, cyclamal, isoeugenol, linalool, oakmoss products, pine needle oils, fir needle absolute, methyl phenyl carbinyl propionate, styrax resinoid or styrax oil, etc., and it can actually find use in countless perfume types and bases. The annual production of galbanum oil fluctuates to quite a degree, but it is steadily increasing, possibly exceeding 10 metric tons. Adulteration is not uncommon, usually by means of simple dilution with pinene, foreruns from "galbanol" (see above), camphene, etc. These additions will easily be detected by the experienced perfumer during an olfactory examination of the oil.