In short
Ginger oil is distilled from the rhizomes of Zingiber officinale. It gives a warm, fresh, lemony spice note.
What Ginger Oil smells like
Steam-distilled ginger oil is warm and woody-lemony with a gentle spice, in a glossary's description; the CO2 extract is sharper and more peppery. ChemicalBook attributes its citrus note to citral. A supplier credits its dry, earthy woody-spice to zingiberene, with beta-sesquiphellandrene and camphene adding brightness. Older literature quoted on a forum calls fresh oil warm, woody-spicy and very tenacious, losing odour as it oxidises. Composition varies with origin.
- Leading note
- Warm woody-lemony spice
- Clear facets
- Lemon, citral
- Supporting facets
- Dry wood, earthy
- Faint facets
- Camphoraceous
- Character
- Warm, fresh, dry
What makes Ginger Oil distinctive
Fresh root rather than candied ginger: lemony and woody, with the heat left behind in the rhizome.
How Ginger Oil is used
Used in fresh-spicy, citrus, woody and oriental compositions and in flavours.
Typical role: modifier (used in small amounts to change the character of a blend); lift (adds diffusion and radiance, especially at the top).
How Ginger Oil differs from similar materials
- Zingerone
- Zingerone is the sweet, vanillic note of cooked ginger; the oil is the fresh root — lemony, woody and earthy.
- Turmeric Oil
- A glossary places turmeric between ginger (brighter) and vetiver (earthier); ginger is the more lemony and fresh. (compared directly by a cited source)
- Cardamom Oil
- Cardamom opens cool and cineole-fresh, then turns floral; ginger is warmer and woody-lemony.
- Ginger CO2 Extract
- The CO2 extract of the same rhizome keeps the full pungent bite that the distilled oil loses. (compared directly by a cited source)
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
Fresh ginger character depends on citral content, which varies with origin.
Identity and classification
- Type
- Essential oil
- Origin
- Natural
- Odour family
- Spicy / Citrus
- Note position
- Top note
- Physical form at room temperature
- Liquid
- Botanical source
- Zingiber officinale Roscoe
- CAS number
- 8007-08-7
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
-
Citral
Aroma chemical · Citrus / Green — lemon, sharp, fresh, green
-
Grapefruit Oil (Expressed)
Essential oil · Citrus / Fruity — citrus, bitter, juicy, sparkling
-
Cardamom Oil
Essential oil · Spicy / Aromatic — spicy, aromatic, fresh, eucalyptus
-
Lime Oil (Expressed)
Essential oil · Citrus / Green — citrus, green, zesty, aromatic
-
Zingerone
Aroma chemical · Spicy / Gourmand — ginger, sweet, spicy, vanilla
Ginger Oil is also suggested as a partner on the pages for Cardamom Absolute, Ginger CO2 Extract, Lemongrass Oil, Litsea Cubeba Oil and Turmeric Oil.
Used in formulas and accords
Used in 5 published formulas
Ginger Oil is an ingredient in 5 perfume formulas in the Formula & Accord Library.
RUŌOD House Originals
Original compositions by RUŌOD House.
Further reading
Questions about Ginger Oil
Is Ginger Oil natural or synthetic?
Ginger 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 Ginger Oil?
8007-08-7, 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 Ginger Oil?
Ginger Oil is used in 5 published formulas in the RUŌOD Lab Formula & Accord Library, including Champaca Tea Room, Cola Amber and Ginger Lightning. Each is listed with a link under "Used in formulas and accords" on this page.
Sources
- PubChem — substance 135277957, checked 19 October 2026.
- Premiere Peau — Ginger — published perfumery reference.
- ChemicalBook — ginger oil (CAS 8007-08-7) — odour database.
- Scentspiracy — Ginger oil Madagascar — distributor's description.
- Basenotes — ginger (forum, quoting older literature) — 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.