Note · Resins and balsams
Fir balsam
Abies balsamea
Photo: ValeriaLu (new tab) / Pixabay (new tab)
Fir balsam is a soft, balsamic resin with notes of jam and conifer forest, at once sweet and slightly smoky.
What it brings
A resinous, woody sweetness.
Origins and uses
The balsam fir, Abies balsamea, is a conifer native to North America, from the north-eastern United States to central and eastern Canada; in Quebec, it grows as far north as Ungava. The bark of young trees bears small blisters from which an oleoresin is drawn, "Canada balsam", long used in optics and pharmacy. Its fragrant needles, which hold well once the tree is cut, have also made it a popular Christmas tree.
In perfumery, fir balsam brings a resinous, balsamic softness with hints of jam and conifer forest, both sweet and slightly smoky. It sits in the heart or base, where it warms woods, ambers and even some florals.
In our catalogue, it appears in the heart of Pacific Rock Swell by Goldfield & Banks, in the base of Abu Dhabi by Memo Paris, and in Luna by Penhaligon's, where it accompanies citrus, jasmine and rose.
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
- Resins and balsams
- Nature
- Natural material
- Botanical name
- Abies balsamea
- Origin
- Resin of the North American balsam fir.
- How it is obtained
- Volatile solvent extraction
- On Volute
- 5 fragrances