Tonka bean
Dipteryx odorata
Hay, almonds, vanilla and tobacco in one. Tonka is a natural source of coumarin.
The note’s label
- Family
- gourmand note; among fragrance families, gourmand
- Position
- base note
- Impression
- Pairs with
- Evokes
- hay · almonds · tobacco · caramel
- Raw material
- seeds (beans) of a South American tree
- Natural or synthetic
- Tonka absolute is used, but its main odorant, coumarin, is routinely made synthetically.
Coumarin
Tonka beans contain a lot of coumarin – a substance with the sweet smell of freshly cut hay. Coumarin was first synthesised in 1868 and soon afterwards became the basis of the fougère accord.
In perfume
Tonka softens lavender in a fougère and deepens vanilla in gourmand and amber fragrances.
On the label
Coumarin is one of the original 26 allergens introduced by Directive 2003/15/EC.
In the fragrance archive
Our archive does not yet contain a fragrance whose published pyramid lists this note.
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