Herbal

Star Anise

Note Profile

Botanical 292 perfumes

About

Licorice-like spice

Scent Profile

Star anise has a sweet, spicy, and distinctly licorice-like aroma with subtle hints of pepper and clove. Its scent is bright and aromatic, carried almost entirely by trans-anethole, and under the sweetness there is a phenolic warmth with a slight medicinal edge. A faint woody-resinous undertone softens as it develops, and the note can impart both freshness and warmth, evolving from sharp and lively to a more mellow, balsamic finish.

ScentWheel

Breadthfocused

EnvelopeHeart · ~8h lasting

Family Spicy, Sweet & Gourmand, Green & Aromatic, Woody & Earthy

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

What this is made of

Star anise oil

A natural extract

CAS 68952-43-2

Star anise oil (IFRA NCS), Illicium verum. Unrelated botanically to anise despite the shared anethole.

How the layers join

Origin

Star anise is the dried fruit of Illicium verum, a tree native to southern China and Vietnam. The spice is harvested when green, then sun-dried to develop its characteristic aroma before essential oil is obtained by steam distillation.

Usage in Perfumery

Perfumers typically use star anise as a top or heart note to introduce spicy, aromatic freshness, often in fougère, oriental, and gourmand compositions. It blends well with citrus, woods, vanilla, and other spices, providing lift and complexity to both masculine and feminine fragrances.