Heavy, jasmine-adjacent, and narcotically sweet. A Southeast Asian tree flower (Aglaia odorata) with a tiny, intensely fragrant bloom that smells of rice and jasmine.
Heavy, sweet, jasmine-like with a particular rice-grain undertone. Like pressing a handful of fresh pikul flowers to your nose in a Bangkok market -- the intensity is staggering for flowers so small. Sweet, narcotic, and slightly starchy. Jasmine's tropical cousin.
Evolution over time
Immediately
Immediately
Intensely sweet, jasmine-like, with a rice-starchy undertone.
After a few hours
After a few hours
The narcotic heaviness deepens. Sweet, warm, starchy-floral.
After a few days
After a few days
A smooth, sweet, floral residue.
Terroir & Origins
Indicative 2025 wholesale prices.
The Full Story
Pikul (Aglaia odorata, Meliaceae family) is a small tropical tree native to Southeast Asia, particularly Thailand, Myanmar, and southern China. Its tiny yellow flowers (only a few millimeters across) produce a notably intense fragrance that is deeply embedded in Thai culture -- pikul flowers have been used for centuries in Thai garland-making (phuang malai) and traditional perfumery.
The scent is heavy, jasmine-like, and narcotically sweet, with a particular rice-like or grain-like undertone that sets it apart from true jasmine. The flowers contain odorine and related compounds that contribute to their unique aromatic profile.
Pikul flowers are not commercially extracted for international perfumery, though they are used in traditional Thai scented preparations. The note in international perfumery is a fantasy accord, reconstructed using jasmine-type materials, rice-grain notes, and heavy floral musks.
The note functions in the heart, providing an dense, specifically Thai floral richness.
This note in Première Peau. Nuit Elastique · Rose Monotone. Sample all seven extraits in the Discovery Set.
Pikul flowers are so deeply embedded in Thai culture that the tree appears in the Ramakien (the Thai version of the Ramayana). In Thai traditional garland-making, pikul flowers are threaded one by one onto fine threads using a needle -- a single phuang malai garland can contain hundreds of individual blooms.
Extraction & Chemistry
Extraction method: Not commercially extracted for international perfumery. Used in traditional Thai scented water preparations (nam ob). Fantasy accord for international use.
Heart note in Thai-inspired, heavy-floral, and Southeast Asian compositions. Functions as an dense jasmine-adjacent floral with a rice-grain dimension. Traditionally used in Thai garlands and scented preparations. Built from jasmine materials, rice-grain accords, and heavy floral musks.