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Curcuma (Turmeric)

Q: Is Curcuma (Turmeric) natural or synthetic?

. Extraction: Steam distillation of dried rhizomes. CO2 extraction also available. Oil yield approximately 3-5%..

SPICES / spicy · earthy · warm

Curcuma (Turmeric)

Category	SPICES
Subcategory	spicy · earthy · warm
Origin
Volatility	Heart Note
Botanical	Curcuma longa
Appearance	Yellow to amber liquid
Odor Strength	High
Producing Countries	India, Indonesia, China, Bangladesh
Pyramid	Heart

Warm, earthy, slightly bitter root with ginger-like brightness. Turmeric smells like damp soil crossed with mustard, with ar-turmerone providing its particular character.

Scent
Terroir & Origins
The Full Story
Fun Fact
Extraction & Chemistry
In Perfumery

Scent

Warm, earthy, bitter-aromatic. Less bright than ginger, more root-like. Ar-turmerone gives particular musty warmth. Smells like the color ochre, if colors had scent.

Evolution over time

Immediately

Bright ginger-like warmth with earthy pungency

After a few hours

Woody-bitter depth, ar-turmerone warmth

After a few days

Persistent earthy-warm base, dry and rooty

Terroir & Chemotypes

Indicative 2025 wholesale prices.

The Full Story

Turmeric (Curcuma longa) essential oil from dried rhizomes contains ar-turmerone (up to 31%), turmerone, curlone, and zingiberene. These sesquiterpene ketones give turmeric its warm, woody, slightly bitter scent distinct from ginger.

The yellow color comes from curcumin, which is non-volatile and does not contribute to scent.

In perfumery, turmeric oil functions as a heart-to-base spice modifier. It sits between ginger (brighter) and vetiver (earthier).

This note in Première Peau. Insuline Safrine · Gravitas Capitale. Sample all seven extraits in the Discovery Set.

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Related: Cardamom · Ginger · Siam Cardamom

Did You Know?

Did you know?

Curcumin, turmeric's yellow pigment, is non-volatile and contributes nothing to the scent. The aroma comes entirely from sesquiterpene ketones, which are colorless. The smell and the color are produced by completely different molecules.

Extraction & Chemistry

Extraction method: Steam distillation of dried rhizomes. CO2 extraction also available. Oil yield approximately 3-5%.

↑ See Terroir & Origins for origin-specific methods.

Molecular Formula	Complex mixture; key compounds: ar-turmerone (C₁₅H₂₀O), turmerone (C₁₅H₂₂O), curcumin (C₂₁H₂₀O₆)
CAS Number	8024-37-1
Botanical Name	Curcuma longa
IFRA Status	No known restrictions
Synonyms	turmeric, haldi, safran des Indes
Physical Properties
Odor Strength	High
Appearance	Yellow to amber liquid
Flash Point	175.00 °F. TCC ( 79.44 °C. )
Specific Gravity	0.920 to 0.960 @ 25.00 °C.
Refractive Index	1.504 to 1.520 @ 20.00 °C.

In Perfumery

Heart-to-base spice modifier. Key molecules: ar-turmerone (31%), turmerone, curlone, zingiberene. Suited to exotic, spice-forward, and terroir compositions. Pairs with saffron, cardamom, sandalwood, and amber.