Synthetic

Coal Tar

Note Profile

Prepared

About

Coal tar is a by-product of the destructive distillation of coal, and it is a complex mixture of aromatic hydrocarbons and phenols. Perfumers use only highly purified, controlled forms. It smells phenolic, like carbolic soap, creosote, mothballs and hot asphalt, with an antiseptic smoke. It is intense and lasting, and is used in trace amounts as a base note.

Scent Profile

Coal tar is phenolic before it is anything else: carbolic soap, creosote-treated railway sleepers, naphthalene mothballs and the hot asphalt of roads being paved in summer. A smoky character sits under that, since this is industrial smoke condensed to a thick black liquid, but the register is antiseptic rather than burnt wood. Its scent is intense and persistent, with subtle undertones of rubber and ink. Over time it can reveal a slightly sweet, resinous facet beneath the tar.

ScentWheel

Breadthfocused

EnvelopeBase · ~48h lasting

Family Woody & Earthy

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

What this is made of

Coal Tar names no single substance

Reconstructed

A distillation product of coal, phenolic and medicinal. Not a perfumery material - the character comes via birch tar and phenolic molecules.

How the layers join

Origin

Coal tar is a byproduct of the destructive distillation of coal, primarily sourced from the coking process in steel production. It is a complex mixture of aromatic hydrocarbons, phenols, and other organic compounds, and is used in perfumery in highly purified, controlled forms due to its potency and regulatory restrictions.

Usage in Perfumery

Perfumers use coal tar in trace amounts to impart smoky, leathery, or medicinal effects, often in leather, tobacco, or avant-garde compositions. It is typically used as a base note, providing depth and persistence, and blends well with birch tar, labdanum, patchouli, and woody accords.