Ambretone

Note Profile

Molecule

About

A macrocyclic musk, 5-cyclohexadecen-1-one. Powdery and velvety rather than clean-laundry, with a faint animal warmth under it and a sweet, slightly floral-amber lift. It is used to add volume and length, and it is the same molecule Givaudan sells as Velvione.

Scent Profile

Clean_musk is agreed by both sources and by both kinds of source: Takasago's own four-word classification opens and closes on MUSK, and Fraterworks calls it 'an intense powdery musk character'. Powdery comes from that same phrase and from the 'velvety smoothness that evokes classic nitro-musks', which is a powder claim rather than a clean one. Sweet_vanillic is Takasago's SWEET, the second word in its classification. Animalic is 'subtle animalic undertones', held deliberately below published muscenone at 0.52 because Fraterworks grades the two directly: Ambretone is 'less animalic' than dextro-Muscenone. Floral is Takasago's FLORAL and its note that the material finds extensive use in delicate florals. Amber_resinous is Takasago's AMBER, and fruity sits under the naming line for the 'nuances of ambrette seed' Fraterworks reports.

ScentWheel

Breadthmedium

EnvelopeBase · ~46h lasting

Family Amber · Musk · Leather, Floral

Read off the wheel, not a label applied to the note.

Origin

Made synthetically. Takasago states plainly that it does not occur in nature. CAS 37609-25-9, C16H28O, molecular weight 237, sold at 98% minimum as 5-cyclohexadecen-1-one. Takasago's grade is the pure 5-ene; the Velvione-branded version is reported to carry some 6-ene isomer alongside it. Colourless clear liquid, often solid at room temperature and needing warming.

Usage in Perfumery

Attested on 13 Fragrantica note listings and none on Parfumo. Fragrantica files it under musk, amber and animalic smells. Takasago describes extensive use in delicate floral, animalic, amber and musk accords. A reseller puts it at 0.1-5% in fine fragrance, laundry care and cosmetics, and reports it at 8.5% of Carnal Flower by Frederic Malle.