Osmanthus Absolute

In short

Osmanthus absolute is extracted from the small flowers of Osmanthus fragrans, mainly in China. It is prized for a unique apricot-leather floral character.

What Osmanthus Absolute smells like

Osmanthus absolute is a powerful fruity floral with dried-apricot facets, floral and tea nuances and leathery undertones, in IFF's description. Its main components include linalool and its oxides, dihydro-beta-ionone, beta-ionone and gamma-decalactone, which explain the profile: the lactone gives apricot, the ionones a violet-powdery thread, the linalool oxides a tea-like quality. A reviewer sums it up as apricots, leather and tea; others note a long, waxy, faintly woody drydown.

Leading note: Dried apricot
Clear facets: Leathery, suede-like, tea
Supporting facets: Violet, ionone
Faint facets: Waxy
Character: Rich, fruity, suede, powerful

What makes Osmanthus Absolute distinctive

Apricot and suede. No other floral combines a lactonic apricot with a leathery, ionone-powdery depth and a tea-like dryness.

How Osmanthus Absolute is used

Used in fine fragrance for fruity, leathery and tea effects; because it is costly, its character is often built from ionones, damascones, lactones and theaspirane.

Typical role: modifier (used in small amounts to change the character of a blend).

How Osmanthus Absolute differs from similar materials

Champaca Absolute: Champaca is warmer and spicier, with clove and hay; osmanthus is more leathery, with a violet-ionone powderiness.
beta-Ionone: Osmanthus contains beta- and dihydro-beta-ionone; beta-ionone alone is the woody violet without the apricot, leather and tea. (compared directly by a cited source)
gamma-Decalactone: gamma-Decalactone is the peach-apricot fruit alone; osmanthus combines a lactonic apricot note with ionones, leather and tea.

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

Costly and dark in colour, which can tint light fragrances.

Identity and classification

Type: Absolute
Origin: Natural
Odour family: Floral / Fruity
Note position: Heart note
Physical form at room temperature: Liquid
Botanical source: Osmanthus fragrans Lour.
CAS number: 68917-05-5

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

beta-Ionone
Aroma chemical · Powdery / Woody — violet, woody, fruity, raspberry
gamma-Decalactone
Aroma chemical · Fruity / Gourmand — peach, fruity, creamy
Jasmine Sambac Absolute
Absolute · Floral / Fruity — jasmine, green, fruity, tea-like
Safranal
Aroma chemical · Spicy / Leather — saffron, leathery, spicy, warm

Osmanthus Absolute is also suggested as a partner on the pages for Boronia Absolute, Champaca Absolute, Davana Oil, Dihydro-beta-ionone, gamma-Dodecalactone and Nectaryl.

Used in formulas and accords

Used in 14 published formulas

Osmanthus Absolute is an ingredient in 9 perfume formulas and 5 accords in the Formula & Accord Library.

Community formulas

Açaí Accord
Community Formula · Accord
Gasoline Accord
Community Formula · Accord
Mango Accord
Community Formula · Accord · listed as “Osmanthus Abs”
Pineapple Accord
Community Formula · Accord

RUŌOD House Originals

Original compositions by RUŌOD House.

Agar Lantern
RUŌOD House Creation · listed as “Osmanthus Absolute 10% DPG”, at 10% in DPG
Apricot Dust
RUŌOD House Original · listed as “Osmanthus Absolute 10% DPG”, at 10% in DPG
Champaca Tea Room
RUŌOD House Original · listed as “Osmanthus Absolute 10% DPG”, at 10% in DPG
Cured Leaf
RUŌOD House Original · listed as “Osmanthus Absolute 10% DPG”, at 10% in DPG
Ember Tea House
RUŌOD House Original · listed as “Osmanthus Absolute 10% DPG”, at 10% in DPG
Ochre Archive
RUŌOD House Original · listed as “Osmanthus Absolute 10% DPG”, at 10% in DPG
Osmanthus Suede
RUŌOD House Creation · listed as “Osmanthus Absolute 10% DPG”, at 10% in DPG
Plum Velvet Hour
RUŌOD House Original · listed as “Osmanthus Absolute 10% DPG”, at 10% in DPG
Suede Halo
RUŌOD House Original · listed as “Osmanthus Absolute 10% DPG”, at 10% in DPG
Tea Ember Accord
RUŌOD House Accord · listed as “Osmanthus Absolute 10% DPG”, at 10% in DPG

Questions about Osmanthus Absolute

Is Osmanthus Absolute natural or synthetic?

Osmanthus Absolute is natural. It is a concentrated extract obtained from plant material with a solvent, then washed with ethanol to remove the waxes.

What is the CAS number of Osmanthus Absolute?

68917-05-5, the registry number for the absolute as a substance rather than a single molecule. It was checked against PubChem on 19 October 2026.

Which published formulas use Osmanthus Absolute?

Osmanthus Absolute is used in 14 published formulas in the RUŌOD Lab Formula & Accord Library, including Açaí Accord, Agar Lantern and Apricot Dust. Each is listed with a link under "Used in formulas and accords" on this page.

Sources

PubChem — substance 135314850, checked 19 October 2026.
IFF — Osmanthus absolute — manufacturer's description.
Premiere Peau — Osmanthus absolute — published perfumery reference.
Eden Botanicals — Osmanthus absolute — distributor's description.
Bois de Jasmin — 20 osmanthus perfumes — published perfumery reference.
Olfactory profile: the RUŌOD Lab team's synthesis of the published descriptions above, reviewed 20 October 2026. Evidence: several independent published descriptions, which agree. Classification and the short description: revision 1. Descriptions of odour are judgement, not measurement.