Bagas de Zimbro

NaturalGREENS, HERBS & FOUGERESfresh · woody · green

TopPyramid

4/5Strength

24hTenacity

2Origins

Specimen

Bagas de Zimbro perfume ingredient — Top

Juniperus communis

Definition

Juniper berries in Portuguese. The scent is gin before the botanicals — piney, resinous, with a peppery bite and an undertow of turpentine.

WOODY CITRUS GREEN SWEET WARM FRESH DRY RESINOUS

JUNIPER BERRIES

Instruments

Pyramid

TTop

HHeart

BBase

4/5Strength

High

odour strength

Tenacity on blotter

24hours

1 h6 h24 h3 d7 d400 h

Producing countries

Europe North America

Scent

Pine-sharp and resinous on first inhale, like cracking a juniper branch. A peppery, almost spicy mid-note follows. The drydown is woody-balsamic, faintly turpentine-like. Drier and more angular than cypress, less sweet than fir balsam.

Terroir & Transformation

The Full Story

Bagas de zimbro is simply the Portuguese term for juniper berries (Juniperus communis). The essential oil, obtained by steam distillation of the crushed dried berries, is a top-note workhorse in aromatic and fougère compositions.

The scent profile is immediately recognizable: alpha-pinene dominates (30-50% of the oil), giving a sharp coniferous attack. Beneath that sits sabinene, myrcene, and terpinen-4-ol, which contribute peppery, herbaceous, and slightly balsamic qualities. The overall impression is bracing and clean — dry forest rather than sweet resin.

In classical perfumery, juniper berry oil appears in cologne structures, fougères, and aromatic masculines. It bridges citrus top notes and woody-herbal hearts without sweetness. Modern niche perfumery rediscovered it through the gin trend — though the perfumery use predates London dry gin by centuries.

Major producing regions include Bosnia-Herzegovina, Albania, and Italy (Tuscany, Sardinia). Wild-harvested berries from the Balkans are generally considered superior to cultivated stock.

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Related: Acronychia Pedunculata · Adoxal · Agave · Algae · Aloe Vera · Aromatic Notes · Asparagus · Avocado

Did You Know?

Juniper berries take 2-3 years to ripen on the bush, turning from green to blue-black. In medieval Europe, juniper branches were burned in sickrooms as a fumigant against plague — a practice with some basis, as alpha-pinene has documented antimicrobial activity.

Extraction & Chemistry

Extraction method

Steam distillation of crushed dried berries. Yield approximately 0.5-2% depending on origin and ripeness. CO2 extraction also available, producing a fuller, more rounded profile with better retention of terpinen-4-ol.

Formula: N/A — complex essential oil (key: alpha-pinene C₁₀H₁₆ ~40%, myrcene C₁₀H₁₆)
CAS: 8012-91-7
Botanical: Juniperus communis
Appearance: Pale yellow to amber liquid
Odour strength: High
Lasting power: 24 hours
Synonyms: JUNIPER BERRIES

IFRA status

See note

No IFRA Standard for the material itself (51st Amendment)

Physical properties

Boiling point: 155.00 to 185.00 °C. @ 760.00 mm Hg
Flash point: 95.00 °F. TCC ( 35.00 °C. )
Specific gravity: 0.85700 to 0.87300 @ 25.00 °C.
Refractive index: 1.47400 to 1.48400 @ 20.00 °C.

In Perfumery

Top-note material in colognes, fougères, and aromatic compositions. Alpha-pinene content provides lift and diffusion. Functions as a bridge between citrus freshness and woody-herbal hearts. Key in chypre-aromatic structures. Works with bergamot, lavender, clary sage, and dry woods. The berry oil is preferred over the wood oil for its greater complexity and less aggressive turpentine character.

Role in the formula

01modifier

02signature note

03lifting agent

04blender

05freshness

Available as

essential oil absolute

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