Tolu Balsam Resinoid

Latin name :

Myroxylon balsamum var. toluiferum

Botanical profile :

The Tolu balsam comes from a balsam tree of the Fabaceae family and the genus Myroxylon.

Geographic origin :

Originally from Colombia, this balm is mainly produced in this country, in Santiago de Tolu (a historical cultural site), but also in Venezuela and Cuba

Chemotypes :

The genus Myroxylon includes only two species :
Myroxylon balsamum grouping the two varieties used in perfumery : Peru Balsam Resinoid (var.pereirae) and Tolu Balsam Resinoid (var.toluiferum).
Myroxylon peruiferum : less used in perfumery.

Extraction process :

The explotation of balsam trees begins when the tree reaches 20 to 30 years because the trunk has a greater width and therefore, yield is better. The local people, called ''balsameros '', are responsible for strategically incising (V-shaped incision) the trunk of the tree causing an immune response and allowing the exsudation of a brown balm. This incision is usually made from January to May during the dry season and from May to September during the rainy season. Following the incision, the farmers come to apply an inflamed torch on the wounded surface. This step is essential otherwise the balm would not exhilarate. Then, they put rags directly on the trunk to collect the balm by absorbing all of the exsudate for a few weeks. Afterwards, the rags are collected and boiled to separate the balm from the fabrics.
After the balm is collected, it is diluted in alcohol to precipitate heavy and insoluble bodies. Precipitation is favored by glazing, which means subjecting the balm-alcohol mixture to a temperature gradient of 140 °F to 32 °F to obtain the resinoid. The resinoid is obtained with an extraction yield between 60 and 70%.
The Tolu resinoid can be distilled to be bleached, without a great olfactory deterioration.

Major Components :

Benzyl Benzoate (50-55%)
Benzoic Acid (20-25%)
Ethyl Cinnamate (≈7%)
Cinnamic Acid (≈5%)
Cinnamaldehyde (≈2%)