In short
Orris absolute is purified from orris butter, the distillate of aged iris rhizomes. It is cleaner and more intensely floral than the butter and rich in irones.
What Orris Absolute smells like
Suppliers describe orris absolute as dry, powdery and distinctly violet-like with earthy, rooty undertones, and as cleaner, more intensely floral and less waxy than the concrete (butter), from which it is purified. Biolandes sells grades by irone content (Orris Landes 80% irone); Fraterworks offers Iris pallida absolute and notes that it is almost never available at retail.
- Leading note
- Powdery iris
- Clear facets
- Violet
- Supporting facets
- Earthy, woody
- Character
- Dry, refined
What makes Orris Absolute distinctive
Orris without the waxes: the irones at their cleanest.
Where the descriptions disagree: Sources disagree on the absolute's irone content and on whether it is colourless or pale yellow.
How Orris Absolute is used
Used in small amounts for a luxurious powdery iris in floral, chypre and woody compositions.
Typical role: modifier (used in small amounts to change the character of a blend); fixative (slow to evaporate; helps a blend last and holds lighter notes).
How Orris Absolute differs from similar materials
- Orris Butter (Orris Concrete)
- Orris butter is the waxy distillate of the aged rhizome; the absolute is purified from it, cleaner, more intensely floral and higher in irones.
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
Shares its CAS number with orris butter (8002-73-1), so none is given here. Among the most expensive perfumery naturals; irone content varies by grade.
Identity and classification
- Type
- Absolute
- Origin
- Natural
- Odour family
- Powdery / Floral
- Note position
- Heart to base note
- Physical form at room temperature
- Liquid
- Also known as
- Iris absolute
- Botanical source
- Iris pallida Lam. / Iris × germanica 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
-
Orris Butter (Orris Concrete)
Concrete · Powdery / Woody — powdery, iris, woody, buttery
-
alpha-Irone
Aroma chemical · Powdery / Woody — orris, powdery, woody, violet
-
alpha-Ionone
Aroma chemical · Powdery / Fruity — violet, powdery, fruity, sweet
Used in formulas and accords
Used in 8 published formulas
Orris Absolute is an ingredient in 7 perfume formulas and 1 accord in the Formula & Accord Library.
Community formulas
RUŌOD House Originals
Original compositions by RUŌOD House.
Further reading
Questions about Orris Absolute
Is Orris Absolute natural or synthetic?
Orris 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 Orris Absolute?
Orris Absolute is used in 8 published formulas in the RUŌOD Lab Formula & Accord Library, including Iris Weather, Juniper Chapel and Lipstick Accord. Each is listed with a link under "Used in formulas and accords" on this page.
Sources
- Fraterworks — Orris Absolute — distributor's description.
- Biolandes — Orris Landes 80% irone — manufacturer's description.
- Premiere Peau — Orris absolute — 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.