Myrrh

Myrrh is the resin of Commiphora trees, native to Arabia and East Africa, and like frankincense it has been used in religious and medicinal contexts for thousands of years. In perfumery it smells of warm balsam, bitter medicine, and a faint licorice-like sweetness — darker and more 'somber' than frankincense. Myrrh is used as a base note and fixative in ambers, incense compositions, and orientals, where it adds depth without sweetness. It's the heart of Amouage Interlude and a fixture in many Middle Eastern attars.