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Prunol

Q: Is Prunol natural or synthetic?

. Extraction: Extraction data not independently verified. Benzaldehyde is produced synthetically or from natural sources..

NATURAL AND SYNTHETIC, POPULAR AND WEIRD / fruity · sweet · warm

Prunol

Category	NATURAL AND SYNTHETIC, POPULAR AND WEIRD
Subcategory	fruity · sweet · warm
Origin
Volatility	Heart Note
Botanical	N/A — perfumery base (inspired by Prunus domestica fruit)
Appearance	Colorless to pale yellow clear liquid
Odor Strength	Medium
Pyramid	Heart

Prunus-like, almond-cherry, faintly bitter. Prunol captures the benzaldehyde-driven character of stone fruits: cherry, almond, plum kernel.

Scent
The Full Story
Fun Fact
Extraction & Chemistry
In Perfumery

Scent

Bitter almond, maraschino cherry, stone-fruit kernel. Less sweet than vanilla, less fruity than fresh cherry, more kernel-like than either.

Evolution over time

Immediately

Bright bitter-almond cherry burst

After a few hours

Cherry-kernel warmth, faintly sweet

After a few days

Soft almond-bitter persistence

The Full Story

Prunol references the olfactory character of Prunus genus materials. The dominant molecule is benzaldehyde (bitter-almond, maraschino-cherry). Related molecules include heliotropin and benzyl alcohol.

The name suggests a synthetic molecule or base capturing this bitter-kernel, fruity-almond character. It sits at the intersection of gourmand (cherry pie, marzipan) and slightly sinister (cyanide smells like bitter almonds for the same chemical reason).

In perfumery, this functions as a heart-to-base modifier adding faintly bitter, food-adjacent sweetness.

This note in Première Peau. Insuline Safrine. Sample all seven extraits in the Discovery Set.

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Related: Acetyl Furan · Ambermax · Ambrofix · Egg · Ethyl Maltol · Flour · Furfural · Genepi

Did You Know?

Did you know?

Benzaldehyde and hydrogen cyanide are both produced when amygdalin in cherry pits breaks down enzymatically. Benzaldehyde itself is non-toxic; the danger comes from the co-produced HCN.

Extraction & Chemistry

Extraction method: Extraction data not independently verified. Benzaldehyde is produced synthetically or from natural sources.

Botanical Name	N/A — perfumery base (inspired by Prunus domestica fruit)
IFRA Status	No known restrictions
Synonyms	Prunol SP, Prunol base, Prunol de Laire
Physical Properties
Odor Strength	Medium
Appearance	Colorless to pale yellow clear liquid
Boiling Point	~225 °C @ 760 mm Hg (est)
Flash Point	> 200 °F TCC (est)
Specific Gravity	0.830-0.850 @ 25 °C (est)

In Perfumery

Heart-to-base modifier for stone-fruit and almond compositions. Key molecule: benzaldehyde. Supported by heliotropin and benzyl alcohol. Must be dosed carefully to avoid medicinal overtones.