In short
Liatris (deertongue) absolute is extracted from the dried leaves of a North American plant whose coumarin forms as the leaves dry. It smells of sweet hay, tobacco and vanilla.
What Liatris Absolute smells like
The Good Scents Company describes Firmenich's decolourised liatrix absolute as sweet, coumarinic, herbal and tobacco-like with a pleasant vanilla-like scent. Scentspiracy describes a sweet-herbaceous, hay-like aroma combining vanilla warmth, dried tobacco and balsamic depth, and explains that the fresh leaves are nearly odourless until coumarin forms as they dry; the absolute is extracted from the dried leaves.
- Leading note
- Sweet hay
- Clear facets
- Coumarin, tobacco
- Supporting facets
- Vanilla
- Character
- Warm, dry
What makes Liatris Absolute distinctive
Hay and tobacco from a leaf, the natural behind the old pipe-tobacco flavour.
How Liatris Absolute is used
Used in tobacco, fougère and hay accords and as a natural coumarin note.
Typical role: modifier (used in small amounts to change the character of a blend).
How Liatris Absolute differs from similar materials
- Tonka Bean Absolute
- Tonka bean absolute is coumarin as a whole bean, with caramel, prune and almond; liatris is a leaf, hay and tobacco with vanilla, more herbaceous.
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
Contains coumarin, which IFRA covers. Sources give different CAS numbers for it (68606-82-6, 68602-86-8), so none is given.
Identity and classification
- Type
- Absolute
- Origin
- Natural
- Odour family
- Powdery / Gourmand
- Note position
- Base note
- Physical form at room temperature
- Viscous liquid
- Also known as
- Deertongue absolute, Liatrix absolute
- Botanical source
- Carphephorus odoratissimus (J.F.Gmel.) H.Hebert (Liatris odoratissima)
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
-
Coumarin
Aroma chemical · Powdery / Fougère — hay, sweet, almond, tobacco
-
Tonka Bean Absolute
Absolute · Gourmand / Powdery — coumarinic, hay, almond, sweet
-
Hay Absolute
Absolute · Green / Gourmand — hay, coumarinic, tobacco, herbal
Used in formulas and accords
Used in 5 published formulas
Liatris Absolute is an ingredient in 3 perfume formulas and 2 accords in the Formula & Accord Library.
Community formulas
RUŌOD House Originals
Original compositions by RUŌOD House.
Further reading
Questions about Liatris Absolute
Is Liatris Absolute natural or synthetic?
Liatris Absolute is natural. It is a concentrated extract obtained from plant material with a solvent, then washed with ethanol to remove the waxes.
Which published formulas use Liatris Absolute?
Liatris Absolute is used in 5 published formulas in the RUŌOD Lab Formula & Accord Library, including Banana Bread, Maple Fog and Narcissus Hay Loft. Each is listed with a link under "Used in formulas and accords" on this page.
Sources
- The Good Scents Company — liatris absolute — odour database.
- Scentspiracy — Liatrix ABS — distributor's description.
- 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.