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Galbanum Oil

Q: Is Galbanum Oil natural or synthetic?

. Extraction: Steam distillation of oleoresin from Ferula galbaniflua. Resin collected by incision. Sourced from Iran. Oil yield 15-20% from resin..

GREENS, HERBS AND FOUGERES / green · bitter · resinous

Galbanum Oil

Category	GREENS, HERBS AND FOUGERES
Subcategory	green · bitter · resinous
Origin
Volatility	Top Note
Botanical	Ferula gummosa Boiss. (syn. Ferula galbaniflua)
Appearance	colorless to yellowish brown clear liquid
Odor Strength	High
Producing Countries	Afghanistan, Iran, Turkey
Pyramid	Top

Sharp, intensely green, resinous-bitter. Galbanum oil is the most powerful and complex green note in perfumery: green, bitter, rubbery, with resinous depth.

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

Scent

Sharp, intensely green, bitter-resinous with rubbery edge. The most powerful green available. Like snapping a green stem and smelling the sap with the added complexity of resin. Uncompromising.

Evolution over time

Immediately

Sharp bitter-green burst, resinous

After a few hours

Complex green heart, balsamic depth

After a few days

Resinous-green persistence, long-lasting

Terroir & Transformation

Indicative 2025 wholesale prices.

The Full Story

Galbanum oil is steam-distilled from the resin of Ferula galbaniflua (Iran, Afghanistan). The most complex green material: sharp green, bitter, rubbery, slightly sulfurous, with resinous-balsamic base.

Key components: myrcene, alpha-pinene, beta-pinene, delta-3-carene, and undecatriene (the signature galbanum molecule). Sulfur compounds contribute a rubber-like quality.

Sharper than cis-3-hexenol, more complex, more resinous, more lasting.

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

Did You Know?

Did you know?

Galbanum resin appears in ancient Egyptian records as a sacred incense component. The Book of Exodus names it as an ingredient in the holy incense formula. Its use in perfumery spans at least 3,000 years.

Extraction & Chemistry

Extraction method: Steam distillation of oleoresin from Ferula galbaniflua. Resin collected by incision. Sourced from Iran. Oil yield 15-20% from resin.

↑ See Terroir & Origins for origin-specific methods.

Molecular Formula	N/A — complex essential oil (key components: β-pinene, myrcene, undecatriene)
CAS Number	8023-91-4
Botanical Name	Ferula gummosa Boiss. (syn. Ferula galbaniflua)
IFRA Status	No known restrictions
Synonyms	Galbanum resin, Ferula galbaniflua
Physical Properties
Odor Strength	High
Lasting Power	72 hour(s) at 100.00 %
Appearance	colorless to yellowish brown clear liquid
Flash Point	104.00 °F. TCC ( 40.00 °C. )
Specific Gravity	0.86700 to 0.91600 @ 25.00 °C.
Refractive Index	1.47800 to 1.48700 @ 20.00 °C.

In Perfumery

Top-to-heart green anchor. The definitive green material. Contains myrcene, pinenes, carene, undecatriene. Essential in chypres, green florals, and avant-garde compositions.