Blackcurrant Bud Absolute (Cassis)

Olfactory family

Primary: Fruity

Secondary: Green · Sulphurous · Animalic

Olfactory profile

Sharp, green and unmistakably catty on first contact — the sulphurous thiol character that makes blackcurrant bud one of the most recognisable naturals in perfumery. Beneath it sits a dark, slightly winey fruitiness and a bitter green leaf facet. It gives enormous lift at concentrations most materials would not register at, and the same power makes it unforgiving: overdosed, it takes over a formula entirely and reads as urinous rather than fruity.

Facets

FruityGreenSulphurousCattyLeafyWiney

Character

Extremely intense and highly diffusive. A trace material — work from dilution only.

Botanical origin

Origin

Trade designation: Blackcurrant Bud Absolute (Cassis)

Documented origin: France

Manufacturer: Biolandes.

Extraction method

Solvent extraction of the buds to a concrete, followed by alcohol washing to the absolute. The buds, not the berries, are the source of the characteristic note.

Specifications

Documentation available

Use in perfumery

Position: Top note · trace modifier

Used at trace level to open a formula with a sharp green-fruity flash, or to give a floral heart a modern, slightly aggressive edge. Standard practice is to prepare a 1% or 0.1% dilution and dose from that; weighing the neat material accurately at the levels required is impractical for most formulators.

Effect in composition

Adds contrast and lift. Introduces a green-fruity facet that reads contemporary, and sharpens the opening of rose and floral structures that would otherwise sit too soft.

Blends well with

Olfactory affinities — not a statement of shared sourcing.

• Rose Otto — Bulgarian — the classical rose-cassis pairing
• 2-Isobutyl-3-Methoxypyrazine — layered green sharpness
• Jasmine Sambac Absolute — green white-floral
• Oakmoss INCO 20 — modern chypre opening
• Natural Raspberry Ketone — berry structures
• Iris China Butter Absolute — green-violet contrast

Perfumer’s perspective

One of the few naturals that can single-handedly date or modernise a formula. Worth considering whenever an accord reads correct but inert — a few hundredths of a percent often supplies the tension it is missing. Handle the neat material carefully: it contaminates glassware and workspaces readily.

Availability and ordering

Status: Available.

Sizes from 1 g to 100 g can be ordered directly; the 1 g size serves as an evaluation sample and is more than sufficient for most formulation work at this material’s dosage. Larger quantities on enquiry — use Request a quote or write to info@ambreroyale.de.