Laurel Leaf Oil

#### Laurel Leaf Oil. The laurel tree is a small unimpressive shrub or tree, originating in the eastern Mediterranean countries, or perhaps in Asia. It has been known for thousands of years, but the use of its leaves as a household culinary herb is a comparatively recent one. The tree, **Laurus Nobilis**, is cultivated in China, Israel, Lebanon Turkey, Yugoslavia, U.S.S.R., Italy, Sardinia, France, etc. The production of **Laurel Leaf Oil **by steam distillation of the leaves and branchlets of the above tree is undertaken in China, Yugoslavia, Italy (Sardinia), France, and occasionally in Spain. Production of this oil in Algeria, Morocco and Cyprus Island has been abandoned. In Turkey, and to a certain degree in Italy, the laurel leaves serve as a packaging material for the world-famous bars of licorice extract (in Italy) or cubed blocks of the same (in Turkey). To prevent crusting of the hygroscopic extract, it is packed between layers of the sun-dried leaves of the nearby growing laurel tree. Since laurel leaves are a minor item on the import list of northern countries (e.g. Scandinavia), the entire import of laurel leaves for household use in those countries may be covered by this "packaging material". The licorice bars adopt a faint medicinal flavor of the cineole type which is perfectly compatible with the licorice flavor. The laurel leaves, on the other hand, will acquire a faint "sweet-extract" flavor which is quite acceptable for the purpose to which they are put (gravy, sauces, seasonings, etc.). However, the housewives in these countries will not know the true flavor of laurel leaves unless they pick their own leaves from the miniature laurel trees which, in huge pots, decorate the sidewalk cafés in northern countries during summertime. **Laurel Leaf Oil **is a pale yellow to very pale olive-green or almost colorless liquid of fresh, strong but sweet, aromatic-camphoraceous, somewhat spicy-medicinal odor. As a rule, the dryout notes of this oil are sweet, pleasant and slightly spicy, unlike those of eucalyptus, cajuput and, to a certain degree, myrtle oils. The two former oils are found occasionally as adulterants in commercial lots of laurel leaf oil. Chinese laurel leaf oil is distinguished by its very high content of eugenol (over 30%) which impairs the fresh notes of the oil significantly. **Laurel Leaf Oil **is used as a flavor ingredient by the canning industry (in pickles, seasonings, sauces, etc.) since, in comparison to the leaves, the oil presents the advantages of greater accuracy, uniformity, lower shipping weight, etc. The author disagrees strongly with published statements that the flavor of this oil is bitter. On the contrary, it is surprisingly sweet and pleasant. The suggested use level is 1.00 to 2.50 mg%, while the **Minimum Perceptible**** **concentration is about 0.25 mg%. The flavor is fresh, almost orange-like, with a rich and delicately spicy undertone, warm and soft. In perfumes, the fresh and warm-camphoraceous notes blend well with citrus oils, spice oils, bay leaf oil, pine needle oils, juniperberry oil, cypress, sage (clary), rosemary, etc. It produces interesting notes with olibanum, labdanum and lavender. The oil also finds use in aldehydic types of air fresheners, and as a modifier or "twist" note in men's colognes, after-shaves, etc. The odor characteristics of Laurel Leaf Oil are not very unique or immediately striking. This may be one of the reasons why this oil never has attained any significant importance in perfumery. It could be produced in substantial quantities from readily available raw material, but the oil remains a minor item offered by only a few European supply houses and very few actual producers.