Note · Spices
Anise
Pimpinella anisum
Photo: anaterate (new tab) / Pixabay (new tab)
Green anise seeds yield a soft, fresh, very recognisable oil that recalls liquorice and pastis.
What it brings
A fresh, lightly sweet softness.
Origins and uses
Green anise, Pimpinella anisum, is a plant of the carrot family native to the eastern Mediterranean, now grown in many temperate regions. Its small fruits, known as seeds, owe their scent mainly to trans-anethole, along with estragole and anisaldehyde. They are found in confectionery, gingerbread and many drinks, from anisette to pastis and ouzo.
In perfumery, anise brings a soft, slightly sweet freshness reminiscent of liquorice. It sits mostly in the top notes, where it brightens gourmand accords, fougères and compositions built on almond or vanilla. It is often paired with star anise, another plant with a similar scent.
In our catalogue, anise opens Pegasus by Parfums de Marly, alongside bergamot and almond, before a heart of orange blossom and a vanilla base.
Text written with the help of AI, based on reference sources: encyclopedias, raw-material manufacturers and official information from the fragrance houses.
Material profile
- Family
- Spices
- Nature
- Natural material
- Botanical name
- Pimpinella anisum
- Origin
- The Mediterranean, Egypt.
- How it is obtained
- Steam distillation
- On Volute
- 5 fragrances