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Alder

Q: Is Alder natural or synthetic?

. Extraction: No commercial extraction exists for perfumery. Alder wood is used in smoking food (particularly fish and meat) but not distilled for fragrance..

WOODS AND MOSSES / woody · earthy · rich

Alder

Category	WOODS AND MOSSES
Subcategory	woody · earthy · rich
Origin
Volatility	Base Note
Botanical	Alnus spp.
Appearance	Pale yellow to amber viscous liquid
Odor Strength	Medium
Producing Countries	Europe, North America, East Asia
Pyramid	Base

Wet wood, slightly bitter, river-bank damp. Alder smells like the wood it is — waterlogged, tannic, faintly orange-tinted, unapologetically raw.

Scent
The Full Story
Fun Fact
Extraction & Chemistry
In Perfumery

Scent

Wet, tannic, raw wood. Damp bark beside a river — not the pleasant dryness of cedar or sandalwood, but the honest dampness of a tree standing in water. Slightly bitter, faintly orange-tinged, with a green-sappy edge.

Evolution over time

Immediately

Wet wood, tannic bitterness, green sap, damp bark

After a few hours

Settles to damp-woody, less green, more earthy

After a few days

Faint tannic-woody residue, clean wet-earth trace

The Full Story

Alder (Alnus spp.) is a riparian tree found along rivers and wetlands across the Northern Hemisphere. The wood has a particular scent: wet, tannic, slightly bitter, with a faintly sweet, almost citrus undertone when freshly cut. It turns orange on exposure to air.

No commercial essential oil exists for perfumery. The scent concept draws on alder's associations: waterside woodland, wet bark, tannic damp. The wood was historically used for making charcoal, underwater pilings (it resists rot when submerged), and smoking fish.

In perfumery, alder is a niche concept note providing wet-wood character. It sits between birch (more phenolic, tarry) and willow (more green, sappy). The tannin quality is key — astringent, mouth-drying, raw.

Construction might use woody-damp materials (cis-3-hexenol for green, guaiacol for woody-smoky), tannic elements, and aquatic notes for the riverside context.

This note in Première Peau. Nuit Elastique · Albâtre Sépia. Sample all seven extraits in the Discovery Set.

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Related: Alpha Humulene · Amaranth · Amberever · Ambramone · Amburana Bark · Antillone · Apple Tree · Araucaria

Did You Know?

Did you know?

Venice is built on alder pilings. The wood, which rots quickly in air, becomes nearly indestructible when permanently submerged — the anaerobic conditions prevent fungal decay. Many of Venice's foundation pilings, installed centuries ago, are still sound.

Extraction & Chemistry

Extraction method: No commercial extraction exists for perfumery. Alder wood is used in smoking food (particularly fish and meat) but not distilled for fragrance.

Molecular Formula	Complex mixture (no single formula)
CAS Number	90320-36-8 (Alnus species extract)
Botanical Name	Alnus spp.
IFRA Status	No known restrictions
Synonyms	ALDERWOOD
Physical Properties
Odor Strength	Medium
Lasting Power	> 200 hours
Appearance	Pale yellow to amber viscous liquid

In Perfumery

Concept wood note providing wet, tannic, riparian character. No natural extraction exists. Built from wet-woody, green, and tannic synthetic elements. Functions in forest, riverside, and rain-themed compositions. Provides raw, unapologetic dampness — useful as contrast to drier woody notes.