Hyraceum Tincture Blonde

Explaining precisely what Hyraceum is is always fun.
To be succinct, Hyraceum Tincture Blonde is prepared from the mineralized urine and feces of the Rock Hyrax, which is the only other animal related to the elephant. (Even though it looks more like a Groundhog and doesn't have a long nose.)

Rock Hyrax communities deposit their excrement in the same place for thousands of years. These smelly aggregates are called middens and also serve the function of territorial markers. These middens can be as old as 50.000 years.
Rock Hyrax are most often found basking on warm rocks in sunshiny places from South Africa all the way to Israel and Lebanon.

Though used in traditional medicine, Hyraceum tincture is better known for its use in perfumery where it can deliver notes of leather, Deer Musk, Civet, Castoreum and Cade.

While most of the material I am familiar with is very dark and has an intense sharp urine/animalic aroma, this type of Hyraceum is much lighter in colour and has a different scent profile.

I collected the light-coloured stone I used to prepare the Hyraceum tincture Blonde from higher up on the rock walls above the black Hyraceum. As the centuries go by and this liquid makes its way to the ground, it builds up layers of mineralized material often forming stalactites. It is more of an intermediary product with colour and scent different from the final black deposits and a more ancient aroma..

I have taken some photos of it in it's natural state and will post them when I return from Kenya.

At a ratio of 1:10 in alcohol it is a light yellow without the dark tarry notes and colour. (See comparison photo above.

Hyraceum Tincture Blonds opens with tenacious notes of Musk and sweet, aged Civet with a soft backdrop of Castoreum, Tobacco and Oud.
I find it a calming and comforting scent.

There is nothing raw about it. It smells like an aroma that has taken hundreds, if not thousands, years to develop, refine, and mature.
The rock was collected in Kenya, and with some luck, I will be able to gather more on my coming trip.

Dan

Materials: perfume alcohol, Mineralized poop, Hyraceum.