In short
White cognac oil is distilled from wine lees, like green cognac oil, but is rectified or stainless-steel distilled. It is rounder and more fruity-floral.
What Cognac Oil (White) smells like
The Good Scents Company describes white cognac oil as winey, fermented green grape and fusel, and green cognac oil as fresh green fruity winey with lychee. Fraterworks says both come from wine lees, green copper-still distilled and white stainless-steel distilled, and describes the white as rounder, fruity-floral and champagne-like; ChemicalBook says white oil is made by rectifying raw cognac oil and gives an intense green, herbaceous odour with a fruity undertone.
- Leading note
- Winey
- Clear facets
- Green grape
- Supporting facets
- Fermented, fruity
- Character
- Powerful
What makes Cognac Oil (White) distinctive
The rounder, more wine-like of the two cognac oils.
Where the descriptions disagree: Fraterworks calls the white oil smoother; ChemicalBook describes an intense green, herbaceous odour.
How Cognac Oil (White) is used
Used in traces in boozy, fruity and floral accords. Fraterworks finds the white oil rounder, fruity-floral and champagne-like where the green oil is greener and fresher, which makes the white the one for wine, champagne and soft fruity-floral effects.
Typical role: modifier (used in small amounts to change the character of a blend).
How Cognac Oil (White) differs from similar materials
- Cognac Oil (Green)
- Green cognac oil is the bolder, greener lees oil with lychee and green apple; white is rectified or steel-distilled and described as rounder and more champagne-like.
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
Very powerful; used in small amounts. Shares its CAS number with green cognac oil, so none is given.
Identity and classification
- Type
- Essential oil
- Origin
- Natural
- Odour family
- Fruity / Floral
- Note position
- Top to heart note
- Physical form at room temperature
- Liquid
- Also known as
- White cognac oil
- Botanical source
- Vitis vinifera L.
No CAS number is shown: suppliers use different identifiers for this material, and none could be confirmed as its own.
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
-
Cognac Oil (Green)
Essential oil · Fruity / Green — winey, fruity, oily, cognac
-
Ethyl Heptanoate
Aroma chemical · Fruity — wine, brandy, fruity
-
Ethyl Hexanoate
Aroma chemical · Fruity — fruity, pineapple, banana, winey
Used in formulas and accords
Used in 7 published formulas
Cognac Oil (White) is an ingredient in 3 perfume formulas and 4 accords in the Formula & Accord Library.
Community formulas
RUŌOD House Originals
Original compositions by RUŌOD House.
Further reading
Questions about Cognac Oil (White)
Is Cognac Oil (White) natural or synthetic?
Cognac Oil (White) is natural. It is a volatile oil obtained from plant material by steam distillation or, for citrus peels, by cold expression.
Which published formulas use Cognac Oil (White)?
Cognac Oil (White) is used in 7 published formulas in the RUŌOD Lab Formula & Accord Library, including Ambrette Halo, Aperol Spritz Accord and Apple Cellar. Each is listed with a link under "Used in formulas and accords" on this page.
Sources
- Fraterworks — Cognac Oil, White — distributor's description.
- The Good Scents Company — cognac odour list — odour database.
- ChemicalBook — Cognac oil (8016-21-5) — odour database.
- Olfactory profile: the RUŌOD Lab team's synthesis of the published descriptions above, reviewed 26 October 2026. Evidence: more than one published description. Classification and the short description: revision 1. Descriptions of odour are judgement, not measurement.