In short
West Indian bay oil is distilled from the leaves of Pimenta racemosa. It is rich in eugenol, chavicol and myrcene and is the classic scent of bay rum aftershave.
What Bay Oil (West Indian) smells like
West Indian bay oil (Pimenta racemosa) is warm, spicy and clove-dominant: PerfumersWorld describes a fresh, warm, clove-like profile with terpenic and sweet-balsamic facets; the PROTA monograph a fresh-spicy, somewhat medicinal odour with a lasting sweet-balsamic undertone. Its eugenol drives the clove impression. It is the defining ingredient of bay rum. PROTA notes that some find it sickly while others find it fresh. It is not bay laurel.
- Leading note
- Fresh clove
- Supporting facets
- Balsamic, terpenic, fresh
- Faint facets
- Medicinal
- Character
- Fresh, warm, spicy
What makes Bay Oil (West Indian) distinctive
Clove with a fresh, terpenic lift — the bay rum note of barbershop aftershaves.
How Bay Oil (West Indian) is used
Used in hair lotions, aftershaves and masculine toiletries, in bay rum, and in spicy compositions.
Typical role: modifier (used in small amounts to change the character of a blend).
How Bay Oil (West Indian) differs from similar materials
- Pimento Berry Oil
- Pimento is a sweeter, rounder, balsamic spice with a tea-like body; bay oil is fresher and more medicinal, with a terpenic lift.
- Clove Bud Oil
- Clove bud is a sweeter, richer clove; bay oil is fresher and more terpenic.
- Bay Laurel Leaf Oil
- Bay laurel is cineole-led, with clove only as a facet; West Indian bay is clove-dominant and terpenic.
Each difference compares the published descriptions of the two materials. Smell varies with grade, supplier and dilution; compare them side by side on blotters before substituting one for another.
Formulation considerations
Not the same as bay laurel leaf oil (Laurus nobilis), which smells quite different. Rich in eugenol; check the IFRA and allergen contributions.
Identity and classification
- Type
- Essential oil
- Origin
- Natural
- Odour family
- Spicy / Aromatic
- Note position
- Heart note
- Physical form at room temperature
- Liquid
- Also known as
- Bay rum oil, Pimenta racemosa leaf oil
- Botanical source
- Pimenta racemosa
- CAS number
- 8006-78-8
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
-
Eugenol
Aroma chemical · Spicy / Floral — clove, spicy, warm
-
Clove Bud Oil
Essential oil · Spicy / Floral — clove, spicy, warm, sweet
-
Myrcene
Aroma chemical · Green / Aromatic — herbal, balsamic, green, resinous
-
Lime Oil (Expressed)
Essential oil · Citrus / Green — citrus, green, zesty, aromatic
Bay Oil (West Indian) is also suggested as a partner on the pages for Bay Laurel Leaf Oil.
Used in formulas and accords
Not currently used in any published formula.
The Formula & Accord Library lists Bay Oil (West Indian) here as soon as a published formula, accord or base uses it.
Further reading
Questions about Bay Oil (West Indian)
Is Bay Oil (West Indian) natural or synthetic?
Bay Oil (West Indian) 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 Bay Oil (West Indian)?
8006-78-8, the registry number for the essential oil as a substance rather than a single molecule. It was checked against PubChem on 19 October 2026.
Sources
- PubChem — substance 135274122, checked 19 October 2026.
- PROSEA/PROTA — Pimenta racemosa — published literature.
- The Good Scents Company — bay oil (with PerfumersWorld's description) — odour database.
- AromaWeb — Bay essential oil — published perfumery reference.
- Olfactory profile: the RUŌOD Lab team's synthesis of the published descriptions above, reviewed 21 October 2026. Evidence: more than one published description. Classification and the short description: revision 1. Descriptions of odour are judgement, not measurement.