Myrrh is one of a set of revered aromatic products from antiquity that have retained cultural relevancy through reference in the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament of the Christian Bible and ongoing use as incense in religious ceremonies. According to Arctander, myrrh is one of the oldest known perfume ingredients, with a historical record dating back almost 4,000 years.

Myrrh is a viscous oleo-gum-resin occurring naturally in the trunks of a range of Commiphora species. The shrub-like trees grow in eastern Africa north of the equator and in the southern Arabian peninsula. Production from the trees is increased by making incisions in the bark, from which resin tears form.

Arctander notes that myrrh absolutes are often produced by direct alcohol extraction (technically a tincture) and are sold as “resin-absolutes.” Steam distilled myrrh oil is produced with varying quality and is used in small amounts in high-end perfumery. Myrrh CO2 extracts are now widely available in addition to the tinctures, resinoids, and oils. Arctander notes that,

“Its odor is warm-spicy, often showing a very peculiar, sharp-balsamic, slightly medicinal topnote with a delightful ‘lift,’ free from any terebinthinate notes. The sweetness increases to a deep, warm-spicy and aromatic dryout which is quite unique and difficult to duplicate.”

As with all natural perfumery ingredients (as well as many synthetic chemicals) the quality and olfactory profile of myrrh products varies widely. We have found the Omumbiri Namibian myrrh oil from Aftelier to present many of the best aspects of myrrh without losing strength or containing too many off notes. Before smelling this, we had a hard time imagining myrrh outside of incense-focused compositions. As Aftel notes, this does blend well with floral notes. We also like the Organic Myrrh C02 select extract from Eden Botanicals, which has a deep, balsamic, almost leathery note with a long, sweet-spicy drydown.

Myrrh is composed of a range of materials, but compounds characteristic of the smell, and antimicrobial and analgesic effect, are furanoeudesma-1,3-diene (30-52%), curzarene (10-30%), and lindestrene (5-13%).

Sesquiterpenoids

We came across an absolutely fabulous piece on sequiterpenoids in the June 2013 issue of Perfumer & Flavorist, entitled “Sesquiterpenoids: The holy fragrance ingredients.” The article notes that these compounds, which occur naturally in plants and insects as sesquiterpenes, form the sesquiterpenoid arrangement through oxidation. These compounds are found in frankincense, myrrh, sandalwood, agarwood, and palo santo, all of which are used in religious practice as incense ingredients. In sandalwood, the sesquiterpenoids alpha- and beta-santalol levels define much of the quality differences between types of sandalwood oil.

In myrrh, the following sesquiterpenoid compounds make up the bulk of the distilled oil or extract:

Furanoedusma-1,3-diene: Typical myrrh scent, balsamic, woody, musty

Lindestrene: Typical myrrh scent, balsamic woody, musty

Dihydropyro-curzerenone: Resinous myrrh odor that best typifies myrrh on its own