Hmm, where do I start? Ok, well with Black Pine you will likely find most highly regarded books discourage the purchase of Black Pine over the various other species, supposedly weak, lacking body and just a very uninspiring Pine specie. I must mention that these authors are NOT speaking for me AT ALL as I adore this oil. I admit I am a big fan of the Pinus genesus and all the commercially available species, and feel this oil does have purpose and valid reason to be embraced and enjoyed by all essential oil enthusiasts.
Botanical Name: Pinus Nigra
Origin: Albania
The key component of this Albanian certified Organic (Certisys) pine oil is a-pinene at over 85% of the oil, you may expect it to be rather turpentine like in smell and for this component to dominate BUT IT DOES NOT. You will also find limonene at over 3.5% and with the other 20 or so components you get oil that is the least coarse and least sharp of all the pine oils I offer. The smell is soft, gentle, refreshing, invigorating with a lemon tint greeting you shortly after you start to inhale with absolutely no harsh notes at all.
Also known my many in UK (especially East Anglia) as Corsican Pine, the colour is clear to pale yellow and is of water like consistency. I genuinely could smell this all day, truly beautiful. I wrote about Pine Siberica a few months ago prior to having a Black Pine in my collection, I said it is like someone wrapping a warm blanket around you, well you know what, I made a huge mistake as this oil fits that statement far better and will be addressed.
I would encourage all natural perfumers to keep an open mind despite what you read in the supposed guru books and I would say if you are an aromatherapist then this is an absolutely essential purchase. Like all Pinus species it finds use for regulating breathing, so if you have a cold, or have a bunged up feeling, then this oil is one to add to your collection.
Specs
Flash point: 44°C = 111°F, Specific gravity (20°): 0.858 to 0.919, Optical rotation (20°): - 42° to – 4°, Refractive index (20°): 1.466 to 1.470
GC/MS%
tricyclene 0.19 ,alpha pinene 85.84,camphene 2.54,verbenene 0.21,beta pinene 3.58 trans cyclobutylsesquilavandulol 0.08,1,4-cyclohexadiene,1-methyl 0.11,para cymene 1.46 limonene 3.60,spiro[2.4]heptane,1,5-dimethyl 0.14, bicyclo[3.1.0]hexan-3-ol 0.16, 3-thujen-2-ol, stereoisomer 0.13, 3-methylenecyclohexane 0.19, p-mentha-1,5-dien-8-ol 0.35, para cymene 0.10 alpha terpineol 0.19, bicycli[3.1.1]hept-2-ene… 0.15, verbenone 0.12, bornyl acetate 0.87
