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Kewra

Q: Is Kewra natural or synthetic?

. Extraction: Hydro-distillation of fresh Pandanus odorifer male flowers produces kewra water (hydrosol). Traditional attar: deg-bhapka distillation into sandalwood oil (Kannauj method). Solvent extraction yields kewra absolute. Flowers harvested at dawn for maximum volatile content. Production: India (Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh)..

FLOWERS / floral · earthy · sweet

Kewra

Category	FLOWERS
Subcategory	floral · earthy · sweet
Origin
Volatility	Heart Note
Botanical	Pandanus tectorius
Appearance	colorless to pale yellow clear liquid
Odor Strength	Medium
Producing Countries	India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka
Pyramid	Heart

Intensely floral, sweet, rosy-jasmine. Kewra (screwpine flower) is the scent of South Asian celebration — rich, honeyed, faintly green, used in both perfumery and cuisine.

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

Scent

Intensely sweet, rosy-floral, with a particular basmati-rice undertone. The 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline gives it that specific cooked-grain quality underneath the florality. Like opening a vial of pure kewra attar — overwhelmingly floral, honeyed, green-edged, with an impossible grain-like sweetness. Nothing else smells quite like this.

Evolution over time

Immediately

Intensely sweet floral, rosy, basmati-grain note

After a few hours

Richer, more honeyed, less grain, deeper floral

After a few days

Persistent sweet floral residue, warm, Indian

Terroir & Origins

Indicative 2025 wholesale prices.

The Full Story

Kewra (kevda, pandanus flower) is the highly aromatic male flower of Pandanus odorifer (syn. P. odoratissimus), the fragrant screwpine of South and Southeast Asia. The distilled water and attar are among the most important traditional perfumery materials of the Indian subcontinent.

The volatile profile is dominated by 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline (the popcorn/basmati rice molecule), phenylethyl alcohol (rosy), methyl-2-methylbutyrate (fruity), and terpineol. The combination creates an intensely floral, sweet, rosy character with a particular 'cooked rice' basmati note underneath — making kewra, a complex natural scent profiles.

Pandanus odorifer grows in coastal areas from India to Australia. The male flowers are spadices up to 30 cm long, intensely fragrant, harvested at dawn. Kewra water (distillate) is common in South Asian cuisine — in biryanis, desserts, and drinks.

In perfumery, kewra provides an intensely floral, Indian-specific note that bridges rose, jasmine, and basmati territory.

Explore all seven extraits in the Discovery Set.

Did You Know?

Did you know?

2-Acetyl-1-pyrroline — the molecule that gives kewr a its particular basmati quality — is the exact same compound that makes jasmine rice, basmati rice, and freshly baked bread smell the way they do. It is detectable at just 0.02 ppb.

Extraction & Chemistry

Extraction method: Hydro-distillation of fresh Pandanus odorifer male flowers produces kewra water (hydrosol). Traditional attar: deg-bhapka distillation into sandalwood oil (Kannauj method). Solvent extraction yields kewra absolute. Flowers harvested at dawn for maximum volatile content. Production: India (Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh).

↑ See Terroir & Origins for origin-specific methods.

Molecular Formula	N/A — complex essential oil/absolute (key components: 2-phenylethanol, methyl ether, terpineol)
CAS Number	91770-47-7
Botanical Name	Pandanus tectorius
IFRA Status	No known restrictions
Synonyms	KEWRA FLOWER · PANDAN FLOWER · SCREWPINE
Physical Properties
Odor Strength	Medium
Appearance	colorless to pale yellow clear liquid
Flash Point	> 212.00 °F. TCC ( > 100.00 °C. )
Specific Gravity	0.98000 to 1.02000 @ 25.00 °C. (est)

In Perfumery

Kewra (Pandanus odorifer) provides an intensely floral heart note with Indian specificity. Key compounds: 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline (basmati note), phenylethyl alcohol (rosy), terpineol. Available as kewra water (hydrosol), kewra attar (distilled into sandalwood oil), and kewra absolute. Functions in Indian-inspired, rich floral, and exotic compositions. The basmati undertone distinguishes it from all other florals.