Siam Benzoin Resinoid

Latin name :

Styrax tonkinensis

Botanical profile :

Benzoin is a resin gum from trees of the Styracaceae family and the genus Styrax.

Geographic origin :

Siam Benzoin originates from the kingdom of Siam, which included Laos, Thailand and Cambodia.

Chemotypes :

The Styrax family includes about 130 species found mainly in Southeast Asia or South America.
Two varieties of Benzoin are used in perfumery :
Styrax tonkinensis so called Siam Benzoin Resinoid
Styrax benzoin so called Sumatra Benzoin Resinoid
Sumatra benzoin is more used than the Siam Benzoin because it is spicier and has a softer vanilla scent.

Extraction process :

The benzoin producing trees are about 25 meters high and grow at more than 1500 meters altitude. Farmers start exploiting the trees when they reach the age of 8 for Siam and 25 for Sumatra, lasting about 10 years.
The gum-resin is obtained by a voluntary incision on the barks of the tree. This incision causes the exsudation of a milky resin which solidifies by oxidation when in contact with air. Harvesting is done by scratching the teardrops for a yield of 4 to 6 kg per tree per year.
Finally, the gums are extracted with organic solvent (ethanol) to obtain the resinoid by filtration after glazing (temperature gradient from 140 °F to 32 °F) the liquid.
It is very unusual to obtain an essential oil of benzoin by hydrodistillation.
The benzoin resinoid can be distilled to be bleached, without a great olfactory deterioration.

Major Components :

Coniferyl Benzoate (70-75%)
Benzoic Acid and other acids (≈20%)
Vanillin (≈1%)
Plotter(s) :
Ethoxy Coniferol (or Coniferyl Ethyl Ether) (≈2%)