Cedar or cedarwood is a staple to the perfume industry—structuring and anchoring a wide variety of fragrances across almost all olfactory families. Its blendability is incomparable: cedarwood can be paired with other woody notes such as patchouli, vetiver or sandalwood, but it blends most seamlessly with floral and citrus fruits (and is particularly dashing alongside sparkling grapefruit). A naturally aromatic note, cedarwood, in and of itself, is distinctly warm, dry and woody with a slight leathery nuance.
It is one of the oldest ingredients used in the perfumery, with its balsamic, woody aroma providing a key facet in many popular scents. Native to the Mediterranean and the Himalayas, cedarwood has been revered for its mystical and magical properties by many cultures throughout history.
The Cherokee tribe believed that the human spirit was hidden in the core of cedarwood, while Tibetans used cedarwood oil in their spiritual ceremonies, and ancient Romans used the tree trunks for ship construction.
In perfumery, cedarwood is primarily used as a base note, anchoring the top and middle notes of a composition. Cedarwood combines extremely well with floral and citrus notes, lending warmth, while the fragrances in which cedar is blended with musk and amber have a green and clean aroma with a retro/vintage vibe.
