MFH - Experiments & Materials

[MaxFromHolland]

Layering differently:
Frankincense and myrrh in the nebulizer + 'Old Library' blend on the wood stick. Good match for our lovely spring weather (wind rain/hail and cold) 🥶
View attachment 54600

Failed miserably trying to make some more of the frankincense myrrh blend. In the original i used some leftover myrrh from an experiment. Pretty much just the top fraction of a cheap oil. Mixed it 1:1 with frankincense. I now used myrrh resinoid, also 1:1 but its nothing like that first bit.
That top fraction was really smoky when diffused while the resinoid is barely noticable and not at all smoky. Maybe its to heavy to diffuse properly.
Its a bit of a pain to create another top fraction as the oil sinks and burns at the bottom. Maybe i can figure out some insert or something..

If anyone reading this happens to know how to distill myrrh without need for a long tedious cleaning session afterwards let me know 🙂

 

[MaxFromHolland]

Yesterday i started another pinebark distillation. This time after a 3 day soak and no additions to the hydrosol. Will be interesting to compare. Think the bark lends itself well for a longer soak (/fermentation) so ill put that on the wishlist to try.
This time using amyris as carrier, which i actually found in a much nicer quality then the one i normally buy, think that be a permanent switch.

 

[Eleusis]

When i distilled myrrh, i just let the resin hydrate for a night in water and then i distilled it. The cleaning is easy, it is all a slurry. I wanted to keep and dry the slurry to use it for medicinale purpose but ir was hard to dry that stuff so i trow it away.
And to aleviate burning at the botom i used a tagine heat dissipator and started heating really slowly.

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41ZUOwI7-QL.jpg

But it is hard to separate because the oil sinks when hydrosol temperature decrease below 55°C.

If ypu want to redistill the oil without irnsinking dirrectly at the botom, maybe take some neutral woodshavings and impregnate them with myrrh oil and hydrodistill those?

 

[MaxFromHolland]

When i distilled myrrh, i just let the resin hydrate for a night in water and then i distilled it. The cleaning is easy, it is all a slurry. I wanted to keep and dry the slurry to use it for medicinale purpose but ir was hard to dry that stuff so i trow it away.
And to aleviate burning at the botom i used a tagine heat dissipator and started heating really slowly.

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41ZUOwI7-QL.jpg

But it is hard to separate because the oil sinks when hydrosol temperature decrease below 55°C.

If ypu want to redistill the oil without irnsinking dirrectly at the botom, maybe take some neutral woodshavings and impregnate them with myrrh oil and hydrodistill those?

Hmm. Guess i could try that with the shavings. I didnt know the oil floats above that temp. Perhaps it helps if i pre-heat the oil and water then. Thanks!

 

[MaxFromHolland]

Hmm. Guess i could try that with the shavings. I didnt know the oil floats above that temp. Perhaps it helps if i pre-heat the oil and water then. Thanks!

Oh by the way, if you look up the smokewalkers on instagram, they dry the slurry from frankincense in a large shallow contraption. I didnt pay full attention but perhaps you can get the details by watching or asking.

 

[Eleusis]

Water density decrease with temperature and so myrrh oil can float when water is hotter

 

[MaxFromHolland]

Yesterday i started another pinebark distillation. This time after a 3 day soak and no additions to the hydrosol. Will be interesting to compare. Think the bark lends itself well for a longer soak (/fermentation) so ill put that on the wishlist to try.
This time using amyris as carrier, which i actually found in a much nicer quality then the one i normally buy, think that be a permanent switch.

Near the still catching a whif of scent, it reminds me of childhood sunscreen 🤷

 

[MaxFromHolland]

Had another go at concentrating an Erica tincture. The flowers contain a lot of wax and so does the tincture. That means you end up with a thick fatty substance long before the alcohol is gone. While having good medicinal properties, im after the scent and prefer a clear oil.
Easiest way to get rid of the waxes is to winterize the concentrate: put it in the fridge for 48 hrs to let the waxes clump together and solidify.
At room temp they will not melt and sink to the bottom, after wich its possible to careful decant the oil and leave the waxes behind.

 

[MaxFromHolland]

Failed miserably trying to make some more of the frankincense myrrh blend. In the original i used some leftover myrrh from an experiment. Pretty much just the top fraction of a cheap oil. Mixed it 1:1 with frankincense. I now used myrrh resinoid, also 1:1 but its nothing like that first bit.
That top fraction was really smoky when diffused while the resinoid is barely noticable and not at all smoky. Maybe its to heavy to diffuse properly.
Its a bit of a pain to create another top fraction as the oil sinks and burns at the bottom. Maybe i can figure out some insert or something..

If anyone reading this happens to know how to distill myrrh without need for a long tedious cleaning session afterwards let me know 🙂

Did another trial with Myrrh EO instead of resinoid. Lovely material btw, Somalie from biolandes, warm smoky goodness.
But the blend is totally different from what i want. Its a kaleidoscope of all sorts* and im to much an amateur to even try to describe what i smell. So i will definitely enjoy this 'fail'.
But to recreate the initial one, it seems i will end up buying the cheap oil again and separate the top 25%. Will do when i find a purpose for the remaining 75%.

*Will likely change the next few day as Myrrh needs time.

 

[roflwaffle]

anyone reading this happens to know how to distill myrrh without need for a long tedious cleaning session afterwards let me know

Bain marie/double boiler might help? But I'm not sure the temps used for myrrh.

 

[MaxFromHolland]

Bain marie/double boiler might help? But I'm not sure the temps used for myrrh.

I cant put the still in a water bath, but i found some metal grid on small legs in a thriftstore that i can put in the still and do the double boiler thing by putting a extra container inside. Something shallow and wide, i guess. Just need to watch it carefully then and measure the yield, because i can't calculate the runtime if part of the steam comes from the container with myrrh and part from around the container without myrrh. Aw, my inner-nerd hurts 🙂

 

[MaxFromHolland]

Concentrating a Catuaba bark tincture.
Should smell vanilla sweet woody with a smoky note.
According to the good scents company "not for fragrance use".
I can probably tell you why in a few days 🙂

 

[MaxFromHolland]

Concentrating a Catuaba bark tincture.
Should smell vanilla sweet woody with a smoky note.
According to the good scents company "not for fragrance use".
I can probably tell you why in a few days 🙂
View attachment 55120

Meanwhile reduction is done. I now added the jojoba and am removing the remaining 20ml of alcohol in the smaller chamber.

So got time to source some Trung Nguyen Culi (peaberry) coffee beans. Somehow keep running into sold out messages, but surely that cant last forever 🙂
Some beans should end up in my coffeepot to taste, rest will end up with peat, cardemom and nutmeg in the distillation pot after a little soaking. Will distill it into some of the nice Amyris i recently found.

 

[MaxFromHolland]

Done. If you watch the time of posting you can see how much longer that last 20ml took, compared to the 350ml bulk..

 

[MaxFromHolland]

Hard to describe the result as i'm not sure what exactly i'm smelling.
It's not quite your walk in a pine forest scent, but i can't really smell the original notes from the hydrosol either. It modified the scent of the bark into something softer without revealing itself (yet). The result is pleasant though, even if i could have used a bit less carrier oil maybe. Will let it sit for a while to see how it develops and, by the looks of it, there's some moisture to get rid of.View attachment 54663

Swiped this tonight and love it.
It's a very dry pine scent but free of sharp terpenes (i used bark, not needles). During drydown a mild honey sweetness and 'something floral' accompanies the pine.

Initially i thought i used a bit to much carrier oil, but it's strong enough, even after 3 hrs.

 

[MaxFromHolland]

So got time to source some Trung Nguyen Culi (peaberry) coffee beans. Somehow keep running into sold out messages, but surely that cant last forever 🙂
Some beans should end up in my coffeepot to taste, rest will end up with peat, cardemom and nutmeg in the distillation pot after a little soaking. Will distill it into some of the nice Amyris i recently found.

In case you're curious, the recipe (formula) will probably be:

500 gr dried turf (peat), schred
380 gr culi coffee, coarse ground
100 gr nutmeg, crushed
20 gr cardamom, crushed
In the receiver:
35 ml Amyris
Technique: hydrodistillation
Steamflow: 0,09 kg/hr
Runtime: 72 hrs

I did away with the idea of soaking.

 

[Mr.P]

In case you're curious, the recipe (formula) will probably be:

500 gr dried turf (peat), schred
380 gr culi coffee, coarse ground
100 gr nutmeg, crushed
20 gr cardamom, crushed
In the receiver:
35 ml Amyris
Technique: hydrodistillation
Steamflow: 0,09 kg/hr
Runtime: 72 hrs

I did away with the idea of soaking.

i'm trying to imagine what this is going to smell like… earthy Turkish coffee? nutmeg is an interesting material and I'm sure it will do something interesting. It's a note I smell in some ouds, Irian Jaya in particular in my collection

 

[MaxFromHolland]

i'm trying to imagine what this is going to smell like… earthy Turkish coffee? nutmeg is an interesting material and I'm sure it will do something interesting. It's a note I smell in some ouds, Irian Jaya in particular in my collection

I think the nutmeg has a bit of everything and is intended to act as bridge to smooth all.
I mentally started with the earthly mossy and somewhat smoky peat, which i think complements the roasted and dark chocolate notes of the coffee. While the more volatile and nutty aspect of the coffee complements the fresh volatile notes of the cardamom. The balsamic amyris as fixative and i think it may make the base notes a bit less raw. That, or i end up with an expensive bottle of rubbish 😬

 

[Mr.P]

I think the nutmeg has a bit of everything and is intended to act as bridge to smooth all.
I mentally started with the earthly mossy and somewhat smoky peat, which i think complements the roasted and dark chocolate notes of the coffee. While the more volatile and nutty aspect of the coffee complements the fresh volatile notes of the cardamom. The balsamic amyris as fixative and i think it may make the base notes a bit less raw. That, or i end up with an expensive bottle of rubbish 😬

Sounds well thought out and the relationships you describe are compelling.
Codistillations like this definitely take a certain degree of courage and a kind of daredevil spirit because they can't be developed in the same step wise way as simple blends. I occasionally make distilled colognes and those come with that element of risk if you want to do something out of the ordinary at all.

 

[MaxFromHolland]

In case you're curious, the recipe (formula) will probably be:

500 gr dried turf (peat), schred
380 gr culi coffee, coarse ground
100 gr nutmeg, crushed
20 gr cardamom, crushed
In the receiver:
35 ml Amyris
Technique: hydrodistillation
Steamflow: 0,09 kg/hr
Runtime: 72 hrs

I did away with the idea of soaking.

My deadline 'tour de force' is done, rewarding myself with a few days off 2nd half of next week. Will run the distillation then 🙂