Kaffir Lime Oil

The Kaffir Lime Oil offered here is manufactured by Payan Bertrand and is distilled from the leaves, fruit and twigs of the Citrus hystrix plant (also called Combava) and is therefore best thought of as a type of Petitgrain rather than as a variety of Lime Oil.

Arctander writes of this, at the time, newly discovered oil saying it “is a pale yellow to greenish yellow, mobile liquid of fresh-leafy, sweet-rosy odor, somewhat reminiscent of the odor of Guinea lemon petitgrain oil and eucalyptus citriodora oil. The flavor is, contrary to that of most other petitgrain oils, sweet and pleasant, fresh lemon-lime-like and when sufficiently diluted, it is without the perfumey note which one could expect from the known constituents of this oil.” 

He goes on to suggest it is suitable “for the soap and detergent type of fragrances. It could also tind use as a modifier in citrus colognes and, generally, as a new topnote ingredient.”

This unusual oil is noted for it’s high proportion of laevo-Citronellol, which makes it particularly attractive as a constituent in floral and especially rose compositions.