Orris Root

Orris root is the rhizome of the iris plant (most often Iris pallida from Tuscany or Iris germanica from Morocco), aged for three to five years before steam distillation. The aging is what creates the note: irones, the powdery violet-suede molecules that define orris, develop slowly as the rhizome cures. Pure orris butter (orris concrete) is among the most expensive natural materials in perfumery, sometimes exceeding the price of oud. Memo Paris Cappadocia at Parfum Central uses orris root at the heart of its composition, paired with leather and rose for a powdery-suede impression.