- Latin name
- Perilla frutescens
- Family
- Mint family (Lamiaceae)
- Origin
- Japan, Korea, China
- Parts used
- leaves
- Raw materials
- perilla essential oil (rarely), herbal accords
- Extraction
- steam distillation; the accord — synthesis
- Olfactory group
- aromatic, green
- Position in the pyramid
- top note
- Synthetic substitutes
- herbal bases, minty and anise molecules
Shiso (perilla) is a herb of the mint family with serrated green or purple leaves. In Japan it is served with sushi and sashimi, and in perfumery shiso is a fashionable note that conveys fresh Asian greenery.
How it smells: fresh, spicy and unusual: green leaves, shades of mint, basil and caraway, a faintly citrusy and anise note. Shiso sounds bright, sharp and very modern.
The scent of shiso combines traits of several well-known herbs at once, so it is hard to mistake for anything else. The main substance in the leaves is perillaldehyde, which gives them a sharp mint-citrus freshness.
What it pairs with: with yuzu and lime — Japanese freshness, with green tea — Asian minimalism, with ginger — spicy vigour, with basil and mint — herbal compositions, with cedar and musk — clean modern fragrances.
Good to know: in Japan red shiso leaves are used to colour umeboshi pickled plums — they give them their bright pink hue.
