Benzoin Sumatra Resinoid — Styrax benzoin | Payan Bertrand | Spiced Balsamic | Indonesia

Part of our Professional Perfumers Range — curated for the discerning natural perfumer seeking exceptional depth and rarity.

Benzoin Sumatra Resinoid — The Spicier, Smokier Cousin of Siam

Benzoin comes in two great varieties — and they are not the same material. While Siamese benzoin (*Styrax tonkinensis*) is the sweeter, softer, more purely vanilla-balsamic of the two, Sumatran benzoin — extracted from *Styrax benzoin* grown on the island of Sumatra, Indonesia — is something altogether more characterful: darker, spicier, smokier, and possessed of a rugged, resinous depth that sets it apart as a distinct and indispensable material in its own right. The difference lies primarily in chemistry: Sumatran benzoin contains significant cinnamic acid alongside benzoic acid, giving it a subtle cinnamon-like sharpness and a slightly smoky quality that Siamese benzoin — richer in benzoic acid and vanilla-like benzaldehyde — never achieves.

This resinoid is produced by Payan Bertrand — one of France's most distinguished natural ingredient houses, founded in 1855 and a name of unrivalled authority in the supply of resinous and balsamic materials to the fine fragrance industry. The raw Sumatran benzoin resin is processed to a resinoid and supplied at 50% in natural triethyl citrate (TEC) — achieving ISO 2935 compliance and full pourable usability without compromising the integrity of the material. The result is a dark reddish-brown liquid of considerable richness and tenacity — one of the great oriental base materials in natural perfumery.

Scent Profile

The opening is warm, balsamic, and immediately distinctive — the characteristic benzoin sweetness present but underscored by a subtle spicy sharpness and a slightly smoky, resinous depth that distinguishes Sumatran benzoin immediately from its Siamese counterpart. Where Siam reads as soft, creamy, and purely sweet, Sumatra has edges — a slightly rugged, earthy quality alongside the warm vanilla-balsamic base that gives it a more complex and arguably more interesting aromatic character. As it develops, the spicy-cinnamic facets integrate with the warm resinous base into something deeply satisfying and tenacious. The drydown is extraordinarily long — over 400 hours on a smelling strip — a natural fixative of outstanding power that anchors compositions with quiet, balsamic authority.

Perfumery Applications

Benzoin Sumatra Resinoid is an outstanding fixative and character note across virtually every fragrance family where balsamic warmth and depth are required. In oriental compositions it provides a darker, more complex balsamic foundation than Siamese benzoin — ideal for compositions seeking spiced depth rather than simple sweetness. In leather accords its slight smokiness adds genuine depth; in tobacco compositions its cinnamic spice complements tobacco absolute beautifully; in oud and resinous structures its robust character anchors the accord with natural authority.

Used alongside our Benzoin Absolute (Siamese origin) the two materials create a multi-dimensional benzoin accord of extraordinary complexity — the Siam providing soft vanilla sweetness while the Sumatra adds darker, spicier depth in a combination that surpasses either material alone. Average use 1.5% in a perfume compound — a concentrated material of real potency whose fixative properties are felt at low doses. IFRA 51: completely unrestricted at 100% in finished product.

Blending Suggestions

Pairs beautifully with our Benzoin Absolute for a layered benzoin accord, and with oud, frankincense, myrrh, labdanum, tobacco absolute, patchouli, vetiver, cedarwood, sandalwood, vanilla, tonka bean, rose absolute, jasmine, cinnamon, clove, and soft musks. The combination with tobacco absolute and labdanum for a dark, spiced oriental base of unusual depth is particularly recommended.

Technical Details

• Botanical Name: Styrax benzoin Dryand.
• Common Names: Benzoin Sumatra / Sumatran Benzoin / Gum Benjamin
• Botanical Family: Styracaceae
• INCI Name: Styrax Benzoin Resin Extract
• CAS Number: 9000-05-9
• Manufacturer: Payan Bertrand, France
• Origin: Sumatra, Indonesia
• Plant Part: Resinous exudate from bark
• Extraction Method: Solvent extraction (resinoid)
• Dilution: 50% in natural triethyl citrate (TEC) — ISO 2935 compliant
• Classification: Base note — outstanding fixative
• Appearance: Dark reddish-brown liquid — supplied in TEC carrier for ease of handling
• Odour Family: Balsamic / Vanilla / Spicy / Smoky / Resinous
• Longevity: Over 400 hours on a smelling strip
• Average Use: 1.5% in a perfume compound
• IFRA 51: Unrestricted — 100% permitted in finished product
• Natural: Yes — 100% pure natural resinoid in natural TEC carrier
• Note: Distinct from Benzoin Siam/Siamese benzoin — spicier, smokier character due to higher cinnamic acid content

Packaging

1ml sample supplied in a 5ml clear flint glass bottle. 5ml, 10ml and 30ml supplied in amber glass bottles — all with inbuilt droppers and tamper evident caps.

Safety Information

For external use only. Avoid contact with eyes and sensitive areas. Not suitable for use on babies, children, pets or broken skin. Avoid use during pregnancy or whilst nursing. Always dilute properly and perform a patch test before first use.

Sample Policy

We recommend purchasing a 1ml sample first before committing to larger quantities. Please note that no refunds can be offered on opened items.

Photo images are for illustrative purposes only.