N/A — synthetic molecule (a major aroma-chemical supplier captive)
Appearance
Colorless to pale yellow clear liquid
Odor Strength
Medium
Producing Countries
Europe, United States
Pyramid
Top
Cold, green-metallic, aldehydic-fresh. Hivernal is a synthetic note that smells like winter air — crisp, clean, faintly waxy, with a metallic sharpness that suggests frost.
Cold, crisp, green-metallic. A synthetic interpretation of winter air — clean, sharp, faintly waxy, with none of the warmth of organic materials. Like breathing deeply on a January morning with frost on the windows — the air itself has a clean, metallic, almost painful freshness. Not herbal, not citrus — purely atmospheric.
Hivernal is a proprietary synthetic aroma chemical — the name derives from the French 'hiver' (winter), which precisely describes its olfactory character: cold, fresh, crisp, with a green-metallic quality that carries frozen air and frost.
The molecule belongs to the family of green-metallic aldehydes and related materials that provide cold, wintry freshness in compositions. It sits alongside materials like Calone (marine-ozonic), Triplal (metallic-green), and various Schiff bases (waxy-aldehydic) in the cold-fresh category.
Hivernal's specific contribution is a sense of temperature — it makes compositions feel cold. This is achieved through its volatile profile, which registers as crisp and sharp on olfactory receptors, triggering associations with cold air, snow, and winter landscapes.
In formulation, Hivernal functions as a top-note modifier providing seasonal freshness — useful in winter, cold-weather, and ice-themed compositions.
The perception of 'cold' smells in perfumery is partly genuine — menthol and related cooling agents activate the TRPM8 receptor (the same receptor that detects physical cold), meaning some 'cold-smelling' molecules actually produce a mild cooling sensation on skin.
Extraction & Chemistry
Extraction method: Fully synthetic — proprietary molecule. No natural equivalent. The manufacturing details are not publicly available (proprietary to the producing fragrance house).
Molecular Formula
C₁₁H₁₈O₃
CAS Number
68901-15-5
Botanical Name
N/A — synthetic molecule (a major aroma-chemical supplier captive)
IFRA Status
Restricted — must contain < 0.1% free allyl alcohol
Physical Properties
Odor Strength
Medium
Lasting Power
32 hours at 100.00%
Appearance
Colorless to pale yellow clear liquid
Boiling Point
~240 °C @ 760 mm Hg (est)
Specific Gravity
0.920 to 0.940 @ 25 °C (est)
In Perfumery
Hivernal is a proprietary synthetic functioning as a cold-fresh top-note modifier. Provides a sense of wintry coldness and crisp freshness. Used in winter-themed, cold, and atmospheric compositions. The cold-metallic character adds seasonal specificity — perfumers use it to make formulas 'feel' like winter. Pairs with mint, eucalyptus, and clean musks for ice-themed accords. Used at micro-dosages to avoid overwhelming organic warmth.
