In short
Basil oil is distilled from Ocimum basilicum. It gives a fresh, green, aniseed-herbal note.
What Basil Oil smells like
Basil oil smells different by chemotype. The linalool type (sweet basil) is sweet-spicy, slightly green and fresh, with a faint balsamic-woody undertone and lasting sweetness, in Arctander's description as quoted; Robertet calls its oil aromatic, spicy, herbaceous and aniseed, very close to freshly picked basil. The estragole type (exotic, Réunion) is aromatic, aniseed, green and herbaceous, close to tarragon, and Arctander finds it coarser and slightly camphoraceous at first. Estragole is restricted by IFRA.
- Leading note
- Sweet green herb
- Clear facets
- Aniseed
- Supporting facets
- Spicy
- Faint facets
- Balsamic-woody, camphoraceous
- Character
- Fresh, green, sweet
What makes Basil Oil distinctive
Freshly picked basil: sweet, green and aniseed, with linalool making it floral or estragole making it tarragon-like.
Where the descriptions disagree: Sources disagree on whether sweet basil has any camphoraceous note.
How Basil Oil is used
Used in herbal, citrus, fougère and green compositions, and in flavours.
Typical role: modifier (used in small amounts to change the character of a blend).
How Basil Oil differs from similar materials
- Tarragon Oil
- Tarragon is estragole-led, sweet anise with a celery-green edge; linalool basil is fresher and more floral, while estragole basil resembles tarragon. (compared directly by a cited source)
- Estragole
- Estragole is the anise note of exotic basil alone; the oil adds herbaceous, green and spicy notes. (compared directly by a cited source)
- Verdyl Propionate
- Verdyl propionate has a jasmine and basil-like herbal note; basil oil is the green, aniseed herb itself.
- Holy Basil Oil
- Holy basil (tulsi) oil is clove-like and spicy rather than aniseed-green.
An asterisk marks a difference that a cited source states directly. The others compare the published descriptions of each material. Smell varies with grade, supplier and dilution; compare them side by side on blotters before substituting one for another.
Formulation considerations
Some chemotypes are rich in estragole or methyl eugenol, both covered by IFRA Standards; choose the chemotype and check the supplier composition.
Identity and classification
- Type
- Essential oil
- Origin
- Natural
- Odour family
- Aromatic / Spicy
- Note position
- Top note
- Physical form at room temperature
- Liquid
- Botanical source
- Ocimum basilicum L.
- CAS number
- 8015-73-4
The CAS number was checked on 19 October 2026 against a PubChem substance record that gives it for this material. A natural material is a mixture, so it has no single formula; its composition varies with origin and processing.
Safety and compliance
This page is general information, not a safety assessment or a specification. Confirm identity, composition, IFRA status and allergen content from your supplier's documents for the lot you hold.
Materials it works with
-
Lime Oil (Expressed)
Essential oil · Citrus / Green — citrus, green, zesty, aromatic
-
Peppermint Oil
Essential oil · Aromatic / Green — minty, cooling, fresh, herbal
-
Tarragon Oil
Essential oil · Aromatic / Spicy — aniseed, herbal, green, sweet
-
Estragole
Aroma chemical · Aromatic / Green — anise, tarragon, herbal, sweet
Basil Oil is also suggested as a partner on the pages for beta-Ocimene, Holy Basil Oil, Parsley Seed Oil, Perillaldehyde and Spearmint Oil.
Used in formulas and accords
Used in 3 published formulas
Basil Oil is an ingredient in 3 perfume formulas in the Formula & Accord Library.
RUŌOD House Originals
Original compositions by RUŌOD House.
Further reading
Questions about Basil Oil
Is Basil Oil natural or synthetic?
Basil Oil is natural. It is a volatile oil obtained from plant material by steam distillation or, for citrus peels, by cold expression.
What is the CAS number of Basil Oil?
8015-73-4, the registry number for the essential oil as a substance rather than a single molecule. It was checked against PubChem on 19 October 2026.
Which published formulas use Basil Oil?
Basil Oil is used in 3 published formulas in the RUŌOD Lab Formula & Accord Library: Anise Ink, Lime Bruise and Verdigris Saddle. Each is listed with a link under "Used in formulas and accords" on this page.
Sources
- PubChem — substance 135362711, checked 19 October 2026.
- Scentspiracy — Basil varieties (quoting Arctander) — distributor's description.
- The Good Scents Company — basil oil — odour database.
- Premiere Peau — Basil oil — published perfumery reference.
- Olfactory profile: the RUŌOD Lab team's synthesis of the published descriptions above, reviewed 24 October 2026. Evidence: more than one published description. Classification and the short description: revision 1. Descriptions of odour are judgement, not measurement.