Lavandin Absolute

Latin name :

Lavandula hybrida

Botanical profile :

Lavendin is a plant belonging to the Labieae family and the Lavandula genus.

Geographic origin :

Lavandin production is centralized in the South of France, in Provence.

Chemotypes :

It is a hybrid between lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) and aspic (Lavandula latifolia). Depending on the degree of hybridization of the two lavenders, four different lavenders result: Grosso, Abrialis, Sumian and Super. These varieties are differentiated by their rate of Camphor and Eucalyptol (in ascending order: Super, Grosso, Abrialis, Sumian) and their ester ratio (reverse order). Lavandin Grosso is the most produced because it grows much faster than the other varieties. The smell of lavandin is more camphorated than Lavender Absolute, but less than the aspic.

Extraction process :

Introduced in France in the 1920s, lavandin is a herbaceous sub-shrub, slightly higher than lavender, with evergreen leaves and flowers with three blue-purple spikes that blooms from July-August. The production of lavandin requires a certain altitude, located between 600 and 1500 meters.
The cultivation and extraction are done in August-September. The Lavandin extraction process is called ''ground green '' which means that it is done directly after cutting. Once they are ground, the plants are grouped in the extraction tank. The smell of the absolute is greener and cooler than if the plant was dried in the sun before extraction. A first extraction with hexane gives a concrete that is collected after the solvent has evaporated and the flowers are removed. After that, the concrete is diluted in an alcohol solution and subjected to a gradual glazing submitting the mixture at a temperature of 32 °F. During this process, the waxes precipitates and the mixture of alcohol and absolute are collected. The absolute is collected after evaporation of the alcohol.
The extraction yield is better for lavandin than for lavender because it contains more flower heads.
The lavandin absolute can be rectified by distillation to be obtained without terpene or colour.

Major Components :

Linalyl Acetate
Linalool
Camphor
Eucalyptol
Coumarin (≈7%)
3-methoxyCoumarin (≈3%)
Caryophyllene-beta
Beta-Farnesene
D-Limonene
Beta-cis-Ocimene