- Latin name
- Ocimum basilicum var. thyrsiflora
- Family
- Mint family (Lamiaceae)
- Origin
- Thailand, Vietnam, Southeast Asia
- Parts used
- leaves and flowering tops
- Raw materials
- essential oil, herbal accords
- Extraction
- steam distillation
- Olfactory group
- aromatic (anise-like)
- Position in the pyramid
- top note
- Synthetic substitutes
- estragole (methyl chavicol), anethole
Thai basil is an Asian basil variety with purple stems and flowers and narrow leaves. It goes into Thai curries and Vietnamese pho, and its aroma is noticeably different from familiar Mediterranean basil.
How it smells: spicy, sweetish and anise-like: fresh leaves, a bright shade of liquorice and tarragon, a light peppery bite. Thai basil sounds more exotic and sweeter than European basil, without its lemony-clove softness.
Thai basil's character is defined by estragole — the very molecule that gives tarragon its anise smell. So in perfume it sounds more like an aromatic spice than “green grass”.
What it pairs with: with lime and lemongrass — Asian freshness, with ginger — lively spicy fragrances, with coconut — “Thai cuisine”, with violet and liquorice — anise-powdery compositions, with musk — modern unisex fragrances.
Good to know: in Thailand it is called horapha, and in English-speaking countries Thai basil is sometimes known as “anise basil” — for its liquorice smell.
