Tonka Bean

Dipteryx odorata

Base note Gourmand Resinous & amber Absolute / CO2

Warm hay, almond and vanilla with a faint tobacco and cinnamon edge. Deeper and drier than vanilla, and it can smell like freshly cut dried grass.

Made from: Solvent-extracted absolute from the cured seeds of the tonka tree; a thick, dark material rich in coumarin, and many 'tonka' products are fragrance oils instead.
Strength: ●●●●○
Cost: Pricey
Moods: Cozy Sensual Grounding
Seasons: Autumn, Winter
Rooms: Living room, Bedroom

Blend with it

Cautions

IFRA-restricted material — use the supplier's certificate limits
Discolors soap or wax (usually tan to dark brown)

Tonka is rich in coumarin, which is restricted in fragrance; follow your supplier's certificate limits, especially for skin products.

How it behaves

CandlesGood

The absolute is thick and can be semi-solid; warm it gently and mix it well into the fragrance blend before adding to wax. Excellent as a fixative under lavender or tobacco.

Wax meltsGood

Reed diffuserWorkable

Room & linen sprayWorkable

Electric (water) diffuserAvoid

Too thick for water diffusers and can gum the plate; use it in wax or reeds instead.

Cold-process soapGood

The dark absolute tints soap, and most tonka fragrance oils also contain vanillin, so expect tan to brown.

Melt-and-pour soapGood

Expect some browning; a vanilla color stabilizer helps with fragrance-oil versions.

Laundry & cleaningWorkable

Pairs well with

Base · Smoky & leather

Base · Resinous & amber

Fragrance oil

Benzoin

Base · Resinous & amber

Base · Smoky & leather

Don't have it? Try Vanilla, Benzoin, Almond.

In these blends

Spiced Chai Latte

A mug of milky chai with cardamom and ginger on a rainy afternoon.

Chai · Mandarin · Vanilla · Tonka Bean · Cardamom · Ginger

Top 24% Middle 53% Base 24%

CozyCalmingAutumnWinter

A little lore

Coumarin was first isolated from tonka beans in 1820 and later became one of the first aroma chemicals made in a lab, launching the fougère style of perfume.