Our Source
Known as the ‘Spice Island’, Sri Lanka offer
s a diversity of climatic regions suitable to produce an array of essential oils. The growing region is warm and wet allowing for multiple harvests of different crops through the year. We have maintained a strong relationship with our Sri Lankan supplier for over a decade, visiting them last month at their organic plantation in Kosgoda and factory in Colombo as part of our Supply Partner Visit Program.
Organic Oils
Our range of organic Sri Lankan essential oils are grown and distilled in dedicated organic facilities on the Island. The plantations are near the processing unit and care is taken to ensure that traditional methods are used for production of high quality genuine organic oils.
The plantation process is sustainable as it is a self-contained facility and the multi-crop policy means the soil isn’t over stripped of nutrients from mono-culture.
Please see descriptions below of oils that we offer, both conventional and organic.
Certification
Khush Ingredients is certified by the Soil Association and all organic materials are imported with full certificate of inspection, authorised by Sri Lankan and UK Port Health Authority. Each oil is also supplied with a certificate of analysis and safety data sheet.
Our Products
Conventional Black Pepper Oil & Organic Black Pepper Oil
Produced by steam distillation of berries from the plant Piper nigrum
Black Pepper Essential Oil is produced from the family Piperaceae. It has been an important spice for centuries, famously demanded as ransom for the besiege of Rome in the 5th century. Black pepper oil has a warm and spicy scent, distinctive of peppercorns. Naturally, this oil is used for its flavour, but additionally for fragrances, personal care and aromatherapy.
Although Piper nigrum is the best known member of the family, P. longum (long Pepper) and P. betle (betle) have also attained commercial significance. Pepper is an indispensable item in the food industry. It has also been used in medicine and more recently reported to have insecticide properties. Sri Lanka is renowned for its quality Pepper, offered to the international market for many years. The Pepper vine has heart shaped leaves and small white flowers. It must be supported, and the coconut trees, as well as the shade trees in tea estates, are used for this purpose. The berries turn from green to red on maturing, and the sun-dried fruit is the Black Pepper of commerce. In modern commerce, Sri Lanka Pepper is known for its high content of volatile oil and pungent, principle component piperine. Selected grades of the dried berries are used to produce Black Pepper Oil of outstanding quality and full aroma.
Conventional Clove Bud Oil & Organic Clove Bud Oil
Produced by the steam distillation of flower buds of the plant Eugenia caryophyllata.
Clove Bud Oil has a fragrant and mellow aroma. Cloves themselves are the unopened flower buds of a small evergreen tree. This is a tropical tree, known as Syzygium aromaticum, and botanically popular as Eugenia carryophyllus. It is an attractive tree with reddish tender leaves. Its odour, flavours and oil content are important criteria in the food industry. Sri Lankan Cloves have been found to be richer in oil than those from Indonesia. It is worth checking a sample of both to see the differences. The plant grows to a height of 12-15 meters and takes 20 years to reach full bearing and then continue to bear fruit for about 50 years. The major spice is the unopened flower bud which is harvested along with its stem and dried in the shade. The buds and stems are dried separately. The drying process has to be carefully monitored as it is akin to a curing process, and the quality of the aroma develops during this stage. The Sri Lankan distilled Oil has a high demand and is renowned for superior aroma and pungency. Our Clove Bud Oil is distilled from selected raw materials where the growing conditions as well as the drying process is well scrutinized.
Conventional Cinnamon Leaf Oil & Organic Cinnamon Leaf Oil
Produced by the steam distillation of the leaves from the plant Cinnamomum zeylanicum.
Cinnamomum zeylanicum is grown in multi-culture plantations in a tropical region where there is plenty of heat and rain. The main growing region in Sri Lanka is on the southern western side of the island. It is regarded as the finest oil, compared to that coming from other locations such as Madagascar and India.
Cinnamon Leaf Oil has a musky, spicy scent, much lighter to that of Cinnamon Bark Oil. Well known for its significant health benefits and as a component in soaps and flavourings/seasonings, this oil is also useful in activities within the home; cleaning fruits and vegetables is common due to its antibacterial and antioxidant properties. This product has even been revealed to help remove salmonella from leafy greens. Further to this, the oil is used as an effective insect repellent due to its eugenol, cinnamaldehyde and a-terpineol content, and a treatment for toothaches when added to water.
Cinnamon bushes are a medium size, with large attractive evergreen leaves, growing up to 15-25 ft tall. The leaves and bark give a pleasant cinnamon scent when crushed. The bushes reach maturity after 1-2 years and are then suitable for oil production.
The leaves can be harvested several times per year depending on weather, although the best time is usually around October to November.
Conventional Cinnamon Bark Oil & Organic Cinnamon Bark Oil
Cinnamon Bark Essential Oil is produced by the steam distillation of bark from the plant Cinnamomum zylanicum
Sri Lanka is the traditional producer of true Cinnamon also called Ceylon Cinnamon. It is indigenous to Sri Lanka, which is the major supplier of the Cinnamon to the world market.
Cinnamon Bark Oil has a richer aroma to that of Cinnamon Leaf Oil releasing warming, stimulating and energizing effects. Its odour is peppery, earthy and spicy, blending very well with other essential oils coming from mint, citrus, wood and spice families.
Conventional Lime Oil (distilled) & Organic Lime Oil (distilled)
Produced by steam distillation of whole fruit from the plant of Citrus aurantifolia.
In general, the plant grows in most part of the Island, however the main area that is famous for the fruit is Moneragala District where adequate quantities can be found from the plantations.
There are several extraction methods to obtain oil from the fruit, however our source specializes in steam distillation.
Distilled lime oil, has a fresh perfumery fruity type of odour, it is used for flavouring formulations in mainly in soft drinks. The main constitutes of the specific oil are limonene, b-pinene, g- terpinene, terpinolene, and other monoterpenes. By nature, the colour of the fruit is green and when the fruit turns in to oil, it becomes slightly yellowish in colour.
Conventional Patchouli Oil & Organic Patchouli Oil
Produced by the direct steam distillation of dried leaves from Pogostemon cablin and pogostemon belonging to the family of Lamiaceae.
Patchouli oil is orange to brownish in colour, with viscous liquid. It possesses a characteristic intensive sweet, herbaceous, aromatic-spicy and woody-balsamic odour. The main constitutes of the oil are patchouli alcohol, α- bulnesene, α- guaiene, α- and β-patchoulene.
For those who currently use our Indonesian Patchouli oi, we are currently unable to get organic certification for the Indonesian production. The quality and odour profile of the oils are very similar (both have a patchouli alcohol level of above 30%), however, we have found the Sri Lankan material appears a little darker than the Indonesian dark variety. This is mainly due to the Indonesian oils being produced in much larger quantities and more and more using stainless steel field distillation units, whereas in Sri Lanka, the organic distillation unit is more traditional cast steel.
It is extensively used in the perfumery industry as an intensified ingredient with woody notes. In addition, it is as a valuable odour component in soaps, and detergents.
Conventional Vetiver Oil & Organic Vetiver Oil
Vetiver is an aromatic grass, which is available throughout Sri Lanka and has varies chemical compositions that can be used. It has been given the chemical name as Vetiveria zizaniodes, where it contains aroma utilized by the perfumery manufactures to create perfume blends and has also a medicinal value, healing back aches that sustain the human body. In addition, the oil extraction can be done in different ways, namely steam distillation and solvent extraction. The main part, used to obtain oil are the bottom roots which have a robust aroma.
Vetiver oil has been used for centuries for its calming earthy, woody scent. Vetiver has additionally had a variety of non-scent-based uses, from soil and water conservation to crop protection. The oil is widely used in perfumes and aromatherapy. In Sri Lanka it is known as the oil of tranquillity.
Sample request
For sample requests, please email us at: samplerequest@khushing.com.
We regret that we can only sample bona-fide companies. If you are a smaller entity, then you are welcome to visit our Oxfordshire laboratory to see the oils first hand.
For any further questions please do call us on: (+44) 1993 882883
Product pages
For more information, please visit our product pages for detailed description and chemical specifications or get in touch directly.