Decanal (Aldehyde C-10)

Origin

A synthetic aliphatic aldehyde produced industrially, though it also occurs naturally in citrus peel oils and pine. It is manufactured by oxidation or dehydrogenation of decanol.

The smell

A sharp, fatty-waxy aldehyde with a pronounced orange-peel and tallow character. In trace amounts it adds a metallic, almost soapy brightness and a sense of fizzing lift. Overdosed it becomes harsh and greasy, recalling hot candle wax.

Key quality

It contributes the waxy, orange-rind facet within the aldehydic accord, distinct from the more soapy character of its neighbours.

Historical use

Aliphatic aldehydes including C-10 were used in unprecedented concentration by Ernest Beaux in 1921, marking one of the first deliberate uses of these synthetics as a dominant accord rather than a trace adjustment.