Mastic absolute smells like walking through a Mediterranean pine forest after rain—resinous and slightly bitter, with an almost medicinal quality. Imagine the sticky sap on your fingers after touching tree bark, mingled with hints of incense, dry spice, and a whisper of anise. There's a clean, slightly peppery undertone that feels both ancient and oddly modern. It's woody but not in the deep, dark way of oud; rather, it's bright, crystalline, and subtly astringent—like chewing on a piece of aromatic bark.
Mastic comes from the resin of *Pistacia lentiscus*, a small tree native to the Eastern Mediterranean, particularly the Greek island of Chios. The resin has been harvested for thousands of years—Pliny the Elder wrote of it, and it was traded along ancient spice routes. Collectors score the bark and harvest the hardened tear-shaped resin droplets by hand. The absolute is created through solvent extraction of this precious resin, concentrating its aromatic compounds into a viscous, potent ingredient.
Perfumers employ mastic as a sophisticated woody-aromatic anchor that adds complexity and depth without heaviness. It bridges classical and contemporary compositions, lending an incense-like warmth and slightly bitter refinement. Often used in small doses, it enriches base notes and mid-notes with an almost archaeological, timeless quality that feels elevated and distinctive.
Contemporary compositions
Surprising harmonies
Giorgio Armani
Femascu
Perlier
Acqua di Parma
Houbigant
Amouage
Sisley
Phaedon
L'Erbolario