Gurjun Balsam Oil

#### Gurjun Balsam Oil. From the so-called **Gurjun Balsam **(see previous monograph) an essential oil can be steam distilled in a very high yield. Although of little value in perfumery as such, the oil should be mentioned since it occurs as an adulterant in several essential oils, or as a constituent of certain artificial essential oils. **Gurjun**** ****Balsam**** ****Oil**** **is usually produced in Europe or the U.S.A. from gurjun balsam imported from the Far East (India, Burma, etc.). The oil is a pale yellow to pale amber colored, viscous liquid of a mild-woody, somewhat balsam- ic-sweet odor and great tenacity. The oil would find application as a fixative, modifier and odor- depressant material in woody or Oriental fragrances, e.g. in soap compounds where its great tenacity and mild, uniform odor is an advantage. It has very little "odor value", but it blends perfectly with a multitude of common perfume materials. On account of its extraordinarily high laevorotatory power, gurjun balsam oil has served as a "correcting agent" in artificial essential oils which had to meet certain physical specifications or Pharmacopoeia demands. It is not infrequently found as a diluent in ylang-ylang oil, patchouli oil, sandalwood oil, vetiver oil, cubeb oil, etc. **Gurjun**** ****(Balsam)**** ****Oil**** **is not a common commercial article any more, but it is still available since the parent "balsam" is regularly produced in large quantities in the Far East.