Resin

Cistus Incanus

Note Profile

Botanical 50 perfumes

Also Known As

Cistus (Rockrose), Cistus Absolute, Rock Rose, Rockrose

About

Cistus incanus has a warm, resinous scent profile, reminiscent of dried herbs, amber, and sweet balsamic undertones. Its aroma can evoke both the sunbaked Mediterranean landscape and a sense of complex, smoky depth, making it a prized note for adding richness and longevity to fragrances.

Scent Profile

Cistus Incanus smells warm and resinous, close to dried herbs and amber with a sweet, balsamic edge. A phenolic sharpness sits in the opening. As it dries down it turns earthy, animal and leathery, with an animal depth close to ambergris. A faint honeyed sweetness runs through the whole thing, giving it a sunbaked, Mediterranean warmth.

ScentWheel

Breadthmedium

EnvelopeBase · ~36h lasting

Family Amber · Musk · Leather

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

What this is made of

Cistus absolute

A natural extract

CAS 8016-26-0

Cistus absolute is the obvious target but the species does not match cleanly: labdanum and most cistus materials come from Cistus LADANIFER, while this note names Cistus INCANUS (pink rockrose). Our row does not state a species, and CAS 8016-26-0 covers 17 different labdanum/cistus materials, so the CAS cannot settle it either. Deliberately below 0.7 - the link is plausible, not established.

How the layers join

Origin

Cistus incanus is a flowering shrub native to the Mediterranean region, where its leaves and twigs exude a fragrant resin. The material is typically harvested and extracted using steam distillation or solvent extraction to yield an absolute or essential oil for perfumery.

Usage in Perfumery

Perfumers use cistus incanus primarily as a heart or base note to impart depth, warmth, and longevity. It blends well with other resins, woods, amber, and aromatic herbs, and is often found in oriental, chypre, and fougère fragrances for its complex, grounding qualities.