Green Sap

Harvesters climb living pine trees in the early months when sap flow peaks. They make a small incision in the bark and collect the clear liquid in stainless steel containers. The raw sap is filtered on site to remove bark fragments, then shipped to a distillation facility. There, engineers heat the sap in a steam distillation column at 100 °C, allowing volatile green compounds to rise with the steam. The vapor condenses into a clear, amber‑tinged oil that retains the sap's bright, resinous character. Typical yields range from 12% to 18% by weight, depending on tree species and climate. For sap that cannot be distilled efficiently, producers use low‑temperature solvent extraction with ethanol, followed by vacuum evaporation to preserve delicate aromatics. In parallel, chemists synthesize key molecules such as pinene and cis‑3‑hexenol to supplement natural supplies, ensuring a stable inventory for perfumers worldwide.