Para-Cresyl Phenyl Acetate
Note Profile
About
Para-Cresyl Phenyl Acetate is a single synthetic molecule, the phenylacetic acid ester of p-cresol (CAS 101-94-0). It smells of heady white flowers over a warm animalic, honeyed base, with a leathery-balsamic edge and a faint urinous sharpness. It is the most floral and the least horsey of the p-cresol esters.
Scent Profile
White floral leads and all three sources agree. ScenTree files it under 'Animalic > White Flowers' and calls it 'a floral facet, both very heady and animalic', with 'a less animal and very floral smell similar to Ylang-Ylang Extra'. The blog names narcissus, jasmine and violet. Animalic is the other half of the identity, 'warm animalic (civetty)' with a 'slightly urinic' edge, and it sits just below the floral because ScenTree is explicit that this is the least animal of the p-cresyl esters. Honeyed is stated twice: 'sweet honeyed' and 'a rich, honey-like aroma' that 'creates realistic honey accords'. Floral covers the non-white-floral part of the bouquet, rose and hyacinth. Leather comes from 'warm leathery-balsamic undertones'. Powdery is from 'thick, powdery'. Amber resinous is the balsamic half of that same phrase.
ScentWheel
Read off the wheel, not a label applied to the note.
Origin
Synthetic. It is made by esterifying p-cresol with phenylacetic acid. It belongs to a small family of p-cresyl esters used for animalic-floral effects; p-cresyl acetate is the sharper, more horse-like member of that family. It is sold by specialist suppliers rather than published on a fragrance house sheet.
Usage in Perfumery
Used in trace to give volume and body. ScenTree says it 'allows to give more facets to floral notes and to give volume to animalic notes'. Fraterworks calls it 'virtually indispensable when constructing a narcissus accord' and uses it for realistic honey and for animalic depth in leather, oriental and chypre bases. It also reinforces jasmine, tuberose, ylang and hyacinth. Two Fragrantica placements are recorded and no Parfumo placements.
Similar Notes
Perfumes featuring Para-Cresyl Phenyl Acetate
A selection of reviewed perfumes where Para-Cresyl Phenyl Acetate appears prominently.
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