Vanill in's stronger sibling — 3-4 times more intense, with a creamier, more confectionery character. Ethylvanill in smells like vanill a concentrate: richer, sweeter, and less layered than the natural extract.
Intense, creamy vanilla — sweeter and more confectionery than vanillin, with a powdery-warm quality. Less woody-balsamic than natural vanilla extract, less spicy than tonka, more purely 'sweet' than any other vanilla molecule. At high concentration it becomes cloying; at moderate doses it is rich and enveloping. The character is more ice cream parlor than vanilla plantation — deliberately smooth, deliberately simple.
Evolution over time
Immediately
Immediately
Intense creamy-sweet vanilla — richer and more confectionery than vanillin, with a powdery warmth
After a few hours
After a few hours
Vanilla sweetness persists and deepens, a subtle caramel-toffee undertone emerges
Ethylvanill in (CAS 121-32-4) is vanill in's synthetic amplificati on — the same vanill a archetype, dialed up 3-4 times in intensity and shifted toward creamy, confectionery sweetness. Where vanill in (CAS 121-33-5) retains a woody-balsamic quality that recalls the actual vanill a pod, ethylvanill in is purer and more one-dimensional: vanill a ice cream, vanill a frosting, vanill a as concept rather than as botanical reality.
The molecule is a white crystalline powder, produced entirely by synthesis. It has no significant natural occurrence, unlike vanillin, which appears in vanilla beans, tonka beans, and can be produced from lignin or guaiacol. Ethylvanillin's advantage is potency: because less material is needed to achieve the same vanilla impact, it causes less discoloration in formulas (both vanillin and ethylvanillin yellow over time, but lower concentrations slow the process).
In perfumery, ethylvanillin is ubiquitous. It appears in amber, gourmand, ambery, and floral-sweet compositions. Combined with vanillin, it creates a richer, more layered vanilla than either molecule alone. With coumarin, it produces the classic 'warm amber' base. With ethyl maltol, it shifts into full gourmand territory. The molecule's limitation is its one-dimensionality — it needs supporting materials (benzoin, labdanum, tonka absolute) to avoid reading as flat and synthetic.
Despite being 3-4 times stronger than vanill in, ethylvanill in is generally considered less 'natural-smelling.' Vanill a experts and perfumers can reliably distinguish ethylvanill in from vanill in in blind testing: ethylvanill in has a more 'foody,' confectionery quality, while vanill in retains a woody-balsamic quality that echoes the vanill a pod. Most commercial vanill a flavoring is a blend of both molecules at carefully calibrated ratios.
Extraction & Chemistry
Extraction method: Entirely synthetic. Ethylvanillin (3-ethoxy-4-hydroxybenzaldehyde) is produced by chemical synthesis, typically via the Reimer-Tiemann reaction or by ethylation of vanillin. It does not occur naturally in significant amounts. The product is a white crystalline powder with an intense vanilla odor. Soluble in ethanol and hot water. Melting point: approximately 77°C. Unlike vanillin, which can be produced from lignin, guaiacol, or natural vanilla pods, ethylvanillin has no natural source.
Molecular Formula
C9H10O3
CAS Number
121-32-4
Botanical Name
N/A — synthetic molecule
IFRA Status
No known restrictions
Synonyms
Ethyl vanillin, 3-ethoxy-4-hydroxybenzaldehyde
Physical Properties
Odor Strength
Medium
Lasting Power
400 hours
Appearance
white to off-white powder
Boiling Point
285.00 to 294.00 °C. @ 760.00 mm Hg
Flash Point
293.00 °F. TCC ( 145.00 °C. )
Melting Point
76.00 to 78.00 °C. @ 760.00 mm Hg
In Perfumery
Ethylvanillin (CAS 121-32-4) is a synthetic vanilla molecule approximately 3-4 times more potent than vanillin (CAS 121-33-5). It functions as a base-note sweetener and fixative in amber, gourmand, and ambery compositions. Compared to vanillin, ethylvanillin is creamier and more confectionery — it reads as 'vanilla ice cream' where vanillin reads as 'vanilla pod.' The stronger intensity means less material is needed, which reduces discoloration in formulas (both vanillin and ethylvanillin can yellow over time, but lower dosing minimizes this). Ethylvanillin appears in virtually all gourmand fragrances, usually alongside vanillin and ethyl maltol. Combined with coumarin, it creates the classic 'warm sweet' base. With Ambroxan, it produces a modern amber-vanilla effect. Its use is so widespread that it has become the de facto smell of 'vanilla' in commercial perfumery.
