Anise Oil Spanish
Item#500610 CAS: Mixture
Odor Strength: Medium
Odor Description: Sweet, anise, licorice, fennel, herbal
Taste Description: Sweet, anise, licorice, fennel, herbal
During these colder winter months, consumers naturally gravitate towards rich, warm, aromas and scents. Anise, the seed of Pimpinella anisum, is one such ingredient. Its sweet licorice-like aroma blends with many popular holiday classics such as spiced cider, pumpkin pie, and sweet glazes for roasted ham. Anise is also found on fine perfumers’ palettes, formulated in fragrances such as Christian Dior Poison, Givenchy Very Irresistible, and Chanel Allure L’Homme.
Anise seed (Pimpinella anisum) and Star Anise (Illicum verum) are not to be confused. Both are processed to yield an essential oil, but with markedly different compositions and character – the former being an aromatic herb, the latter being the fruit of an evergreen tree. Vigon’s Anise Oil Spanish is distilled from anise grown in Spain. Pimpinella anisum is an annual herb (i.e. needed to be replanted each year) which grows waist high. The upper aerial parts of the plant, which contains small flowers, are harvested and the small seeds are mechanically separated from the flowers. Then, seeds are washed and dried.
Anise seed essential oil is produced using steam distillation to extract the volatile aroma compounds that are naturally-occurring in the seeds. Ground seeds are placed in a pressurized steam chamber. The steam releases the volatile aroma molecules from the botanical, and carries them through a cooling chamber, where steam condenses back to water. The less dense essential oil floats to the top of the decanting chamber, allowing the anise oil to be skimmed off. Anise oil is very rich in anethole.
Anise oil is mainly used in flavor compositions. Its sweet and licorice-like aroma are commonly formulated in candies, some tobacco products, baked goods, and adult beverages.
Anise oil is also used in perfumery, often in warm and spicy fougere accords. The oil pairs well with other warm aromatics oils, such as ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, orange, and woody notes. It is also used in cosmetics, for its ability to mask certain unpleasant odors.
In aromatherapy, anise oil is mainly used to aid in digestion.
If you are interested in seeing a sample or placing an order, please email Nicholas Bourne at nbourne@vigon.com or call 570-422-6026.