Miswak
Note Profile
About
Pungent green twig with a mustard bite
Scent Profile
Miswak smells sharp and pungent, like cress or mustard, with a bite rather than heat. Behind the bite is fresh plant sap: green, slightly bitter and almost antiseptic. It is clean but not minty. It softens to a dry, woody-green finish, like a freshly chewed twig.
ScentWheel
Read off the wheel, not a label applied to the note.
ScentArt
Origin
Miswak is the chewing stick cut from the roots or twigs of Salvadora persica, the toothbrush tree or mustard tree. It grows in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia. Its sharp smell comes mainly from benzyl isothiocyanate. Perfumery-grade oil is scarce, so most perfumes build the note as an accord.
Usage in Perfumery
Perfumers use it in the top-to-heart register for a sharp, green, medicinal effect with a cultural reference to the chewing stick. It is used sparingly, because the pungency is strong and not conventionally pretty.
Similar Notes
Perfumes featuring Miswak
A selection of reviewed perfumes where Miswak appears prominently.
No perfumes featuring this note have been reviewed yet. Check back soon.