Heather

We harvest the flowering tops of Calluna vulgaris at full bloom, usually in July. Workers cut the tops by hand to preserve delicate aromatics. The material enters a cold‑solvent extraction tank where hexane draws out fragrant oils. After several hours, the solvent evaporates, leaving a thick, dark resin called concrete. We press the concrete with alcohol, then chill the mixture to separate waxes from the fragrant liquid. The resulting heather absolute contains a complex mix of coumaric acid esters, phenolic notes, and subtle honeyed undertones. Because the plant yields only 0.02 % of absolute per kilogram of fresh material, producers limit batch size and store the absolute in amber glass to protect it from light. Some artisans also distill the aerial parts by steam, producing a light essential oil that captures the herbaceous top notes but lacks the depth of the absolute. Both extracts require careful handling to avoid oxidation, so we keep them under nitrogen until they blend into a formula.