Orris absolute is obtained by solvent extraction of cured iris root root. Its iron content depends on the age of the rhizome.
With good preservation practices, the root’s iron content gradually increases until the seventh (and even ninth) year of maturation. With special precautions, this time can be extended (and the iron content increased), allowing for extracts of higher commercial value.
But which Orris plant? On the market, producers tend to offer Iris Germanica because the raw material is less valuable. The source is Morocco, but since 2010, China has begun offering a more commercially viable product. However, the Tuscan Iris (by all accounts) is the best in the world; famous since the time of Catherine de’ Medici. This is certainly due to the climate and terroir.
The Dalmatian Iris (Pale Iris) produces the best quality; the Florentine Iris, despite having a larger bulb, has less shelf life. Extraction can be performed with different types of solvents, achieving very different results. Some production processes require the sequential use of different solvents, which always remain in very small quantities in the finished product
The absolute (or resinoid) is normally brown in color, has a pasty, viscous consistency, and a strong, talc-like odor. If the production process is appropriate, it is insoluble in water but very soluble in alcohol. The VOC content varies from 2 to 8%. It is always recommended to store it in glass. It is a very expensive raw material for perfumery.
The characteristic odor of Iris Absolute is reminiscent of that of violets (Viola Odorata) because it shares the same irons with this botanical. In high-end perfumery, this extract is indispensable as a fixative.