Skip to main content

    Ingredient Profile

    Egyptian Tuberose fragrance note

    Egyptian Tuberose captures one of nature's most intoxicating white florals through ancient enfleurage techniques perfected along the Nile. I…More

    Mexico

    2

    Fragrances

    Fragrances featuring Egyptian Tuberose

    Character

    The Story of Egyptian Tuberose

    Egyptian Tuberose captures one of nature's most intoxicating white florals through ancient enfleurage techniques perfected along the Nile. Its narcotic, honeyed nectar defines some of perfumery's most legendary florals.

    Heritage

    Despite its name, tuberose originates from the highlands of Mexico, where pre-Columbian civilizations cultivated it for ceremonial purposes. The 'Egyptian' designation honors the ancient extraction technique rather than geographical origin. Enfleurage itself traces back to ancient Egypt around 3300 BCE, where archaeologists have uncovered evidence of sophisticated perfumery practices. When tuberose reached Grasse in the 17th century, French perfumers adopted these Egyptian extraction methods to capture the flower's lavish scent. Production increased notably during the 19th century as modern perfumery evolved. Today, the technique survives as a link to perfumery's artisan roots, preserving knowledge that connects contemporary fragrance creation to three millennia of continuous refinement.

    At a Glance

    Fragrances

    2

    Feature this note

    Origin

    Mexico

    Primary source region

    Ingredient Details

    Extraction

    Solvent extraction / Enfleurage

    Used Parts

    Flower petals (night-harvested)

    Did You Know

    "It takes 3,500 to 7,000 kilograms of hand-picked night-blooming tuberose flowers to yield just one kilogram of absolute."

    Pyramid Presence

    Top
    1
    Heart
    1

    Production

    How Egyptian Tuberose Is Made

    Egyptian Tuberose extraction employs two primary methods. Enfleurage, the ancient technique revived by houses like Robertet, involves spreading flower petals onto odorless fat that absorbs the fragrance over 24-72 hours. The fat is then washed with alcohol to isolate the aromatic compounds. Modern production more commonly uses solvent extraction with hexane, producing a concrete with 0.12-0.18% yield. Whether through traditional enfleurage or contemporary solvent extraction, the process demands thousands of kilograms of freshly harvested blooms to produce meaningful quantities of this precious absolute. The night-blooming nature of the flower means harvesters work during specific hours to capture maximum fragrance before dawn.

    Provenance

    Mexico

    Mexico19.4°N, 99.1°W

    About Egyptian Tuberose