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The ABC's of Perfumery
Copyright Stephen V. Dowthwaite, April 1998
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Learn how The Perfumer's Workbook works......... 
 
Basics :  
The ABC's of Perfumery is very easy to learn and the most powerful tool to date for describing and classifying smells. It was published in May/June 1999 issue of Perfumer & Flavorist, the foremost journal in the perfumery and flavor industry. 
The Perfumers Workbook is founded on the concepts of the ABC system. 
It has these features: 
 
SYSTEMATIC ODOUR CLASSIFICATION GROUPS FOR PERFUMERY     Top^
For more details and key reference materials
  • Odour PROFILES / Fingerprints of single materials Top^
 Even a single aroma chemical rarely exhibits a single facet in it's odour. For example, most would agree that Phenyl Ethyl Alcohol displays primarily a rose character but many find it has a green note, others comment on it's phenolic or chemical aspects. If relative proportions are allocated to each facet that the student observes then classification falls into place quite easily. 
         (e.g., PEA might be classified as R, Rose 70% G, Green 30%.). 

 

  • Relative IMPACT - a measure of  'strength'  Top^
The expression 'impact' has been used in preference to 'strength'. Relative impact is determined by using a Micropipette to apply a fixed amount of Linalool onto a smelling strip. The test material is added until the odour impact is judged as the same. Linalool Synthetic was chosen as the control reference material as it is readily available, being one of the most abundantly used raw materials in perfumes and flavours and because the quality from the major suppliers does not vary greatly (Givaudan, BBA. Linalool from natural sources is not suitable). In terms of its impact it falls about midway in the range of materials used by the perfumer. 

  Odour life is determined on the smelling strip (thinner chromatography 'paper' gives more consistent results) to the point at which the material becomes weak and uncharacteristic of itself. The results of this type of examination are very dependent on the amount dipped, ambient temperature, humidity, air-flow and testers' differences and experience. Despite this even in poorly controlled conditions one is able to produce a set of comparative values that are worthwhile measures of  raw materials relative blotter lives. 

  Every component in a perfume formula( 'compound') is there for one or more specific functions within the odour. In the program you will see that each material has a 4 letter code under Class.. 
e.g.. Benzyl Acetate might be classed as  JfMF 
The first two letters indicate it is a Jasmin-fruity note, M indicates it is a Modifier, F indicates it is a Floralizer. 
Basic Material  
It may be there to give the basic smell of the fragrance, a rose smelling material in a Rose perfume, balsam, vanilla and oakmoss in an Oriental fragrance. 
Basics therefore cover the whole spectrum of A-Z and the only materials with specific floral notes can be generalized as basics with the letter F for Floralizer  
M or T = Modifier  
to modify the fragrance, add style, naturalness, freshness, diffusion. Decoration for the fragrance like a banana note in jasmin. T is used for specifically top-note modifiers such as the citrus notes (lemon, limes etc.) 
B = Blender  
Materials to blend the sometimes disparate basic and modifying notes, to round or smooth off, to harmonise. Blenders usually have impact levels of 100 or less. 
X = Fixative 
In completion to fix the fragrance giving depth, substance and background. Fixatives usually have longer odour life's. 
 
 
Fleuressenceä1988-The Perfumers WorkbookÓ1998-The ABC's of PerfumeryÓ1998
Are Copyrighted Works and Trademarks of PerfumersWorld, PerfumersWorld Ltd. & Stephen V. Dowthwaite 
 
 
Appendix A-Z Classification Top^
A-Z  Classification  Common Description  Key Reference Materials
A  ALI-FAT-IC  Fatty, Waxy, Soapy, Clean  Aliphatic Aldehydes, Alcohols 
B  Berg - ICEBERG  Cooling, Borneol,Mint,Camphor  Menthol, Camphor, Eucalyptol
C  CITRUS  Sour, Sharp, Citrus peel  Citral, Orange, Lemon, Lime 
D  DAIRY  Milky, Cream, Butter, Cheese  Diacetyl, Butyrate,Lactone,Valerate 
E  EDIBLE  Vegetable, Nut, Fish, Meat  Thiazoles, Pyrazines, Sulphides 
F  FRUIT  Sour, Sweet fruits, Strawberry  Allyl caproate, Verdox 
G  GREEN  Cut-grass, Leaves  cis-3-Hexenol, Triplal 
H  HERB (Cool)  Cool Herbaceous notes  Lavender, Sage, (Terpene based?) 
I  IRIS  Orris, Violet  Ionones, Methyl Ionone 
J  JASMIN  Fruity, Oily, Narcotic, Jasmin  HCA, Benzyl Acetate 
K  KONIFER  Pine, Pineneedle  Terpineol, Bornyl Acetate 
L  LIGHT Chemical Floral  Fresh light floral chemical  Linalool, Vertenex, DMBC 
M  MUGUET  Lily of the Valley, Green, Fresh Hydroxy, Lilial, Lyral 
N  NARCOTIC  Heavy Sweet Florals, Absolutes  Narcissus, Ylang Ylang, Tuberose 
O  ORCHID  Aromatic, Deep floral  Salicylates, Benzoates
P  PHENOL Phenol, Medicinal, Honey  p-Cresol, Ethyl Phenyl Acetate 
Q  Queen of the ORIENT  Resin, Balsam  Benzoin, Tolu, Terpenes 
R  ROSE  Rose Otto, Absolute, Geranium  Citronellol, PEA, Rhodinol 
S  SPICE (Hot)  Hot Culinary, Spice  Clove, Cinnamon, Thyme, (Cyclic?) 
T  TAR SMOKE  Smoke, Tar, Burnt  Cade, Birch Tar 
U  Urine Faecal ANIMAL  Animal, Faecal, Leather  Civet, Castoreum, Ambergris 
V  VANILLA Sweet Edible, Vanilla  Vanillin, Coumarin, Heliotropin 
W  WOOD  Wood, Oily,  Cedar, Santal, Vetivert, Patchouli 
X  X-rated MUSK  Sexy, Musk, Sensual, Sweet  Musk Ketone, Galaxolide 
Y  EARTHY MOSSY  Yeast, Fungal, Moss, Marine,  Oakmoss, Calone 
Z  ZOLVENTS  Odourless Solvents, Solubilisers  DEP, DPG, IPP, Ethanol,PG
  Top^
Fleuressenceä1988-The Perfumers WorkbookÓ1998-The ABC's of PerfumeryÓ1998
Are Copyrighted Works and Trademarks of PerfumersWorld, PerfumersWorld Ltd. & Stephen V. Dowthwaite