CALAMUS

Calamus is an aromatic material associated with the rhizome of Acorus calamus, also known as sweet flag. A rhizome is an underground stem rather than a flower or leaf. Its essential oil has a sweet character with spicy and woody nuances, offering a different kind of warmth from a purely sugary gourmand note.

Steam distillation of the rhizome produces the oil used as a fragrance material. Some examples also show a sweet leathery facet, but that comparison need not describe every interpretation of calamus in perfume. The surrounding composition can bring out different aspects of its sweet, spicy woodiness. It is a note to explore when you enjoy aromatic warmth with a woody edge rather than a straightforward floral effect.