Coriander
17 fragrances with this note
Part of accords: Fresh spicy, Soft spicy
- Latin name
- Coriandrum sativum
- Family
- Carrot family (Apiaceae)
- Origin
- Ukraine, Russia, Bulgaria, Morocco
- Parts used
- ripe fruits (seeds)
- Raw materials
- essential oil
- Extraction
- steam distillation of crushed seeds
- Olfactory group
- spicy (fresh spices)
- Position in the pyramid
- top note
- Synthetic substitutes
- linalool (up to 70% of the oil)
Coriander is familiar as cilantro, but perfumery uses not the leaves but the seeds — round, light-brown fruits. And they smell entirely different from the herb.
How it smells: fresh, spicy and floral: a lemony-herbal opening, a light peppery shade and a soft, almost lavender-like warmth. Coriander seed oil is one of the gentlest “fresh spices”.
Up to 70% of the oil is linalool — the same molecule found in lavender, bergamot and many flowers. That is why coriander so easily stitches citrus and floral notes together, making the transition from opening to heart smooth.
What it pairs with: with bergamot and lemon — lively fresh compositions, with rose and violet — spicy florals, with cardamom and pink pepper — modern “fresh spice”, with lavender — herbal fougères, with incense and cedar — dry woody scents.
Good to know: Ukraine is one of the world's major producers of coriander seed: it is grown on thousands of hectares, and part of the harvest is processed into essential oil.
Fragrances with Coriander
