At our niche perfume house in West Wales we know that it's not just what you do but also how you do it that makes perfect scents.
So whatever crop is being harvested, once cut is taken straight to the still room.
Fresh.
From field to bottle, on-site production ensures the oils produced are optimum both in terms of quality and quantity.
Whether working off a 400 litre commercially built stainless steel still, firing up a traditional copper alembic or just switching on a good old Dean & Stark tabletop contraption there are simple rules to follow:
Never ever pack your precious plant material too tight – you want the steam to maximise the charge passing through the plant matter capturing the volatile compounds present.
Funnelling upwards before plunging back down through the condenser (a series of smaller tubes encased in cold running water) the resulting condensate of steam and essential oil separates off through a glass instrument called a florentine.
Once settled and having skimmed off the oils we are left with the hydrosol, a heavily fragranced liquid treasured on its own merit.