GREENS, HERBS AND FOUGERES / herbal · camphoraceous · fresh
Rosemary Oil
Category
GREENS, HERBS AND FOUGERES
Subcategory
herbal · camphoraceous · fresh
Origin
Volatility
Top Note
Botanical
Salvia rosmarinus (syn. Rosmarinus officinalis)
Appearance
Colorless to pale yellow liquid with fresh, herbaceous, camphoraceous odor
Producing Countries
Morocco, Spain, Tunisia
Pyramid
Top
Bright, herbal-camphoraceous with a clean, pine-like freshness. Rosemary oil smells like the Mediterranean maquis at noon — resinous, aromatic, sun-baked, and bracing.
Bright, herbal-camphoraceous, pine-fresh. The cineole type is clean and medicinal; the verbenone type is sweeter and more herbal. More camphoraceous than thyme, more resinous than basil, less sweet than lavender. A resinous, slightly woody undertone adds depth. On blotter, moderate tenacity — the camphoraceous top fades first, leaving a warm-herbal residue.
Essential oil steam-distilled from the aerial parts of Salvia rosmarinus (formerly Rosmarinus officinalis). Multiple chemotypes exist with distinct profiles: cineole (camphoraceous, common from Tunisia/Morocco), camphor (sharper, from Spain), and verbenone (sweeter, more herbal, from Corsica/France).
The scent is immediately aromatic — herbal, camphoraceous, with a clean, piney brightness. The cineole chemotype is the most common in perfumery; the verbenone type is more structured and expensive. Key constituents include 1,8-cineole, camphor, alpha-pinene, borneol, and verbenone (in the verbenone chemotype).
Rosemary oil is a foundational aromatic material — alongside lavender, it defines the aromatic-herbal family. It has been used in perfumery, medicine, and cooking since ancient Greece and Rome. In modern composition, it provides the herbal-camphoraceous backbone of fougère, aromatic, and Mediterranean-themed fragrances.
Rosemary's Latin name 'ros marinus' means 'dew of the sea' — the plant thrives on Mediterranean coastal cliffs where morning sea mist provides moisture. The first perfume water in European history, 'Hungary Water' (14th century), was a rosemary distillate used by Queen Elizabeth of Hungary, allegedly to restore her youth at age 72.
Extraction & Chemistry
Extraction method: Steam distillation of flowering tops and leaves. Yield is approximately 1-2%. Major production in Tunisia, Morocco, Spain, and France (Corsica for verbenone type). Harvest timing affects chemotype expression — early harvest favors lighter terpenes.
Colorless to pale yellow liquid with fresh, herbaceous, camphoraceous odor
Boiling Point
175.00 to 176.00 °C. @ 760.00 mm Hg
Flash Point
114.00 °F. TCC ( 45.56 °C. )
Specific Gravity
0.89800 to 0.92200 @ 25.00 °C.
Refractive Index
1.46600 to 1.47000 @ 20.00 °C.
In Perfumery
Top-to-heart note in aromatic, fougère, and Mediterranean compositions. Rosemary oil provides the herbal-camphoraceous brightness essential to aromatic fragrances. Alongside lavender, it defines the fougère family. The verbenone chemotype is preferred for fine fragrance; the cineole type for functional and aromatic products. Works with lavender, sage, pine, and citrus.
