Amyristre (Amyris Balsamifera) resin distillate

Amyris essential oil has a very chewy, complex smell that quickly fades to a subdued woody-balsamic scent. It is valued as a well-known fixing agent, especially in soaps, and it is often used in many types of perfumes. Surprisingly, this tree is a member of the citrus family (Rutaceae) but bears no fruit. However, it is of great value to local people who use it for firewood, and as the hard-grained, dense wood is heavy with aromatic resins, branches make excellent light-burning torches. The sedate density and resinous nature of Amyris tends to impart a sweet balsamic aroma to those who surround themselves with this oil.

Amyris is distilled from a small bushy tropical evergreen tree, Amyris balsamifera , indigenous to Haiti that also grows wild in the Bahoruco Forest of the Dominican Republic. It is in this forest that the eco-friendly task commonly known as 'clearing the forest floor' for only dead, dry wood for distillation helps prevent fires and gives young, green cubs a better chance to thrive. With the current rate of deadwood collection monitored by the Dominican Ministry of the Environment, our supplier – distilled on site for over 40 years – has been an exemplary steward of the Amyris forests, ensuring their sustainability for future generations. Unfortunately, Amyris is smuggled as contraband—often clear-cut, live wood—routinely smuggled across the border from Haiti for charcoal production, leading to an environmentally benign site that, if left unchecked, is very likely to become irreversible.

Although often referred to as West Indian sandalwood, due to its similar aroma, Amyris is not related botanically and is therefore not a substitute for sandalwood in aromatherapy , nor does it provide the same depth and character scent-wise as true sandalwood. Because Amyris essential oil gives a sweet-woody, balsamic aroma, it is a practical, less expensive alternative to Sandalwood essential oil, and provides a good fixing effect.