Olibanum Sacra Resin Green

NaturalRESINS & BALSAMSbalsamic · green · woody

BasePyramid

4/5Strength

188hTenacity

3Origins

Specimen

Olibanum Sacra Resin Green perfume ingredient — Base

Boswellia sacra

Definition

Frankincense at its freshest: piney, citrusy, green-bright resin straight from the tree. Olibanum sacra green is the raw tear before it yellows -- all terpenes, no church.

WOODY FLORAL CITRUS GREEN SWEET BALSAMIC AMBER WARM

FRANKINCENSE OLIBANUM

Instruments

Pyramid

TTop

HHeart

BBase

4/5Strength

High

odour strength

Tenacity on blotter

188hours · 8 days

1 h6 h24 h3 d7 d400 h

at 100 %

Producing countries

Oman Somalia Yemen

Scent

Pine-sharp, lemony-bright, with a clean, dry resinous transparency. Fresher and more citric than aged frankincense. The balsamic-sweet base notes are minimal -- this is the top of the frankincense pyramid. Brighter than standard olibanum, less heavy than church incense, with a crystalline, almost mineral quality. Think of freshly scored Boswellia bark, the white sap still liquid.

The Full Story

Olibanum sacra green refers specifically to the fresh, green-terpenic fraction of Boswellia sacra resin -- the top notes that dominate when frankincense is freshly tapped or when the essential oil is first opened. This is olibanum before the heavy, sweet, balsamic base notes develop.

The green character comes from the high monoterpene content: alpha-pinene (piney, dominant at 30-60% of the oil), limonene (citrusy), sabinene (warm-green), and alpha-thujene (herbaceous). Boswellia sacra from Oman's Dhofar region is particularly known for high terpene content and bright, clean green profile. The 'green resin' designation implies either a very fresh, top-note-rich distillation or a specific fraction of the oil.

In perfumery, olibanum sacra green functions differently from standard frankincense: it provides citrus-pine freshness rather than warm balsamic depth. It works in the top-to-heart zone of fresh-incense, aromatic, and modern-amber compositions where traditional frankincense's heaviness is not desired.

—

Did You Know?

The finest Boswellia sacra resin comes from Oman's Dhofar region, where the trees grow in the fog zone of the Dhofar Mountains. The fog (khareef) provides just enough moisture for the trees to survive in otherwise arid conditions. First-grade Omani frankincense -- known as 'silver' or 'hojari' -- commands prices exceeding 100 EUR per kilogram for raw resin.

Extraction & Chemistry

Extraction method

Steam distillation of fresh, high-quality Boswellia sacra resin tears, with a focus on capturing the light, terpenic fraction. Some producers offer specific 'green' or 'light' distillation cuts enriched in monoterpenes. CO2 extraction at lower pressures can also yield a greener profile.

Formula: Complex mixture — key components: alpha-Pinene (C₁₀H₁₆), Incensole acetate (C₂₂H₃₆O₃), Boswellic acids (C₃₀H₄₈O₃)
Botanical: Boswellia sacra
Appearance: Pale green to yellow-green translucent resin tears
Odour strength: High
Lasting power: 188 hour(s) at 100.00 %
Synonyms: FRANKINCENSE OLIBANUM

IFRA status

See note

No IFRA Standard for the material itself (51st Amendment)

Physical properties

Flash point: ~54°C
Specific gravity: 0.862–0.890 @ 25°C
Refractive index: 1.468–1.490 @ 20°C

In Perfumery

Olibanum sacra green is a fresh-incense top-to-heart note providing the citrus-pine-terpenic quality of frankincense without the heavy balsamic base. Dominated by alpha-pinene and limonene from high-quality Boswellia sacra resin (Oman/Dhofar). Works in fresh-incense, aromatic, and modern-amber compositions where traditional frankincense's weight is not desired. Brighter and more contemporary than standard olibanum.

Role in the formula

01modifier

02signature note

03blender

04volume builder

05fixative

Available as

essential oil

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