Rose Blossom, Bulgaria (organic)

Rose otto that turns cloudy or sets solid in a cool room is often returned as faulty. It is behaving as it should. The waxes nonadecane and nonadecene, the stearoptene fraction, crystallise below room temperature.

01 · Origin

The Rose Valley lies between the Balkan and Sredna Gora ranges at 300–400m. Bulgarian rose oil holds Protected Geographical Indication status from the European Commission, granted in 2014. This oil is distilled from certified organic Bulgarian blossom.

02 · Process

The blossoms are picked by hand over a few weeks in May and June, early in the day, and distilled the same morning. Several tonnes of fresh flowers yield a single kilogram of oil. Citronellol and geraniol lead the alcohol fraction; nerol follows.

03 · In Practice

Warm the bottle in the hand to return the oil to liquid before use. One drop carries through a blend. Skincare formulation, massage, natural perfumery and olfactory study. Comparative work alongside Rose Blossom, Morocco (No. 12551) shows plainly what terroir does to a single species.

General information: For external use only. Dilute before applying to skin. Keep away from heat and sunlight. Keep out of reach of children. Avoid contact with eyes and mucous membranes.