Boronia Low Down

Since putting the Boronia EdC up on the Etsy site, I've been fielding questions about boronia ~ what does it smell like? Where does it come from? Does it really cost a fortune?

Boronia megastigma, the variety used to make boronia absolute, is a plant which grows wild in parts of Australia. It is part of the citrus family. The flower's two main aroma compounds are beta ionone and dodecyl acetate. Boronia is used as flavoring in fruit compounds. (Source: Boronia Megastigma, Wikipedia). According to Arctander, boronia is one of the only (if not the only) flowers which contain ionones; mostly beta ionones with just a little alpha ionone. Alpha ionones are characterized by a raspberry- and violet-like essence. Beta ionones are characterized by a dry, woody, violet-like essence. (Source: Arctander, IFF, Leffingwell). According the The Good Scents Company, dodecyl acetate smells like clean laundry.

So basically what you're going to smell with boronia are raspberries, violets, some dry woodiness, and the wash.

To me, boronia has a fresh, open, wild scent (I'm attributing this description to the 'clean wash' essence). It smells like this wonderful bottle of merlot that was gifted me one year for Christmas ~ it was chock full of berry richness and this lovely violet/orris undertone. Unfortunately, I don't remember the vintner of that merlot. I do remember that while I was diluting the boronia absolute, my mouth was watering and I was thinking about that bottle of merlot!

Boronia runs over $400 an ounce. When you can find it.