Description and usage notes:
First isolated by Bush Boake Allen (now part of IFF) and notoriously difficult to buy in small quantities. Here at 10% in DPG, this is geosmin bought pure from IFF, diluted by Pell Wall and so strong it must be used with great caution. We recommend you dilute to 0.1% or even less for blending.
Geosmin is the scent of warm earth, a freshly ploughed field, the first rain after a dry period, damp and deceptively powerful. Geosmin doesn’t seem particularly strong when you sniff the 1% solution, or even this 10% solution, but just a few drops can fill the room with the scent of turned earth.
Traces in a fragrance can give you a unique effect and greatly increase diffusion. There really isn’t anything else like Geosmin, even though other materials, like 2-ethyl fenchol, have a superficially similar scent.
According to Brown University: “Geosmin, which literally translates to ‘earth smell’ was scientifically identified more than 100 years ago. In soil, bacteria produce the chemical compound. In water, blue-green algae make it. Along with the pleasant scent of warm, moist soil, geosmin is also responsible for the muddy ‘off’ taste in some drinking water. That is why the substance is of interest to water purification experts and even vintners, who want to keep the benign but pungent substance out of their wine.”
For those working on a more modest scale, we also offer Geosmin at 1% and we can usually offer limited amounts of the pure product: please contact us for availability and pricing if that’s what you need.
Documents
Safety Data Sheet (note this SDS relates to the pure material, hazards are naturally reduced by dilution in DPG)
alessandro.cigala –
I ordered 1% and i received 10% instead (more pricy and pure), so thankyou very much Ben for this!
Odour: Fresh, Wet Earth, Anice Star, Liquorice, at 10%;
Fresh, Wet Earth, Anice Star at 1%. “Natural smelling”
Mild diffusion and strenght (not very happy with that).
Note: I ordered this to recreate Petrichor smell, Geosmin itself is light years from smelling like “Mid-summer Rainstorm”, it mells “Earth”, than you miss Ozone, and tons of Organic Compounds coming from the surrounding area.
Imam Alamsyah (verified owner) –
I was having diffilcuties when i first order geosmin, but Mr. Chris gave me a very adequate and proffesional service. My order has arrived just in 5 days, and they give me a free sample of another odorant related to geosmin, many thanks.
Imam from Indonesia