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Irises & Sweet Violets

I am having a rest day today, getting ready for blending the White Witch Mystery juice.
One of my favourite materials being used in this blend, is that of orris root butter. Orris root is the root of the sweet flag, grown mainly in southern Europe: Iris germanica, Iris florentina, and Iris pallida. Once important in western herbal medicine, it is now used mainly as a fixative and base note in perfumery. Orris root must generally be hung and aged for 5 years before it can be used for perfumery. Oil of Orris is known commercially as Orris Butter and is obtained by distilling powdered Orris root with steam, has an intense and extremely delicate odour of the fresh Violet and commands a high price. Orris has the power of strengthening the odour of other fragrant bodies and is used as a fixative in perfumery. The odorous constituent of oil of Orris is a liquid ketone named Irone, to which the violet-like odour is due. It is the presence of this principle in the rhizome that has long led to the employment of powdered Orris root in the preparation of Violet powders.


Another addition to White Witch Mystery is almond oil which has been infused with sweet violet flowers or viola odorata. Violets are a well loved flower, there is even a Violet Society.
I will let you know how things go with White Witch Mystery blending tomorrow.

Ruth

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