- Origin
- a natural molecule (found in larch bark, roasted malt); in perfume — synthesis
- Raw materials
- maltol
- Extraction
- synthesis
- Olfactory group
- gourmand (caramel)
- Position in the pyramid
- heart and base
- Synthetic substitutes
- ethyl maltol, furaneol
Maltol is a natural molecule that smells of caramel and baked sweetness. It is found in larch bark, roasted malt, fresh bread and cocoa, and in perfumery it is used to convey praline — roasted nuts in caramel.
How it smells: warm, sweet and edible: caramel, candyfloss, a slightly burnt crust and a light nutty shade. Maltol sounds cosy, like a patisserie in the morning.
Maltol is the “elder brother” of ethyl maltol, the main candyfloss molecule. It is softer and less candy-like, so it gives praline and baking a more natural, bready sweetness.
What it pairs with: with hazelnut and almond — praline, with vanilla and tonka — cosy desserts, with coffee and cocoa — a “patisserie”, with iris — powdery sweetness, with patchouli — modern gourmand chypres.
Good to know: maltol forms when sugars are heated — which is why there is so much of it in everything roasted and baked, from coffee beans to bread crust.
