Attar, is an essential oil derived from botanical sources. Most commonly these oils are extracted via hydro or steam distillation. They can also be expressed by chemical means but generally natural perfumes which qualify as attars are distilled with water. The oils are generally distilled into a wood base such as sandalwood and then aged. The aging period can last from one to ten years depending on the botanicals used and the results desired.
Attars are highly concentrated and therefore are usually offered for sale in small quantities in decorated crystal cut bottles or small jewelled decanters. Attars are popular throughout the Middle East and the Far East of India as well as Bangladesh and Pakistan. Attars have been used in the entire Eastern world for thousands of years. Attars are affordable because they are so concentrated that a small bottle will last the regular user several weeks or even months.
Technically attars are distillates of flowers, herbs, spices and other natural materials such as baked soil over sandalwood oil/liquid paraffin’s using hydro distillation technique with deg and bhapka. These techniques are still in use today at Kannauj in India. This is one of the oldest natural fragrant materials, nearly 5000 years old. Some of the first lovers of attars were the Mughal nobles of India. Jasmine attar was the favourite perfume of the Nizams of the Hyderabad state. Traditionally in the Eastern world, it was a customary practice of nobility to offer attar to their guests at the time of their departure. The attars are traditionally given in ornate tiny crystal cut bottles called as atardans. This tradition of giving a scent to one’s guests continues to this day in many parts of the Eastern world. Among Sufi worshipers the use of Attars during meditation circles and dances is quite common.
We are Perfume making Company, specialises in finding excellent quality fragrances. We make non-alcoholic Perfume sprays and Attars.