Muskrat musk-Perfume Tincture

Muskrat Musk Perfume tincture, without a doubt one of my favourite animal extracts that I make. I always dab a bit of it on myself to enjoy its fantastic drydown and lingering scent throughout the day.

Muskrat Musk tincture reminds me of the old Nitro Musks

Muskrat Musk tincture

my favourite"A slightly sweet, mellow, floral, ambiguous, oscillating between urine/fecal side and cashmeran-y soft almost wool-like scent, exactly how a musk should be".

Animal musk has been a vital part of perfumery for centuries. it is used to add sensuous animalic and arousing aphrodisiac elements in our creations. Many musks are considered base notes and fixatives in perfumes. They transform botanical perfumes, add extra dimension and a sense of "Down and dirty" or physical arousal and attraction.

There are a number of animals around the world that produce similar musk fragrance compounds.
Among them, the Musk Deer, Musk crocodile, the musk ox, the musk duck and of course, the Musk Rat.

This tincture is made from the ground fresh scent glands of the north American Muskrat at a ratio of 1:5 using 80% ethanol.

These animals were trapped for their fur and much of this material goes to waste.

"The Musk Rat or Ondatra zibethicus in Latin, is native to North America. Its specific name zibethicus means ‘musky’, being the adjective of zibethus ‘civet musk; civet’, or Civet-like in Latin. The genus name comes from the Huron word for the animal, ondathra, and entered New Latin as Ondatra via French".(Wikipedia).

It lends a soft warm animalic note to perfumes.

Should we use animal products in our food, cosmetics and aromatic materials? I have found there is no universal answer that suits us all.

I believe that only by engaging and cultivating our own intimate personal relationship with Nature, can we plot our own path and divine our own code of ethics. Only then can we be responsible and responsive to Nature's needs, true to ourselves, and make informed choices that ultimately affect us all globally.

Dan

--------------------------------------------------What customers have said about this product----------------------------------------------------

"This has amazing potential to be utilized in a similar fashion as the nitro musks from the 1970's. Very beautiful, and I can't wait to start working with it! Quickly shipped, and well packaged for safety! Thank you :)" A.F.

"A wonderful dark animalic smell of dark Swiss Chocolate (Lindt und Sprüngli Excellence 90 %) only lightly sweet and in the background a hint of dark Oudh like Oudh Cambodi. Good for people how think that musk (real and artificial) is too sweet for them and not animalic enough." R.J.K.

"Remarkable stuff ,primordial, a hairy handed gent"

" The aroma is incredible. Falls somewhere between the "skank" of civet and the leather & fruit of castoreum. Has a unique effect on perfumes."

"Shipped quickly..superior quality! Thank you"

Materials: Muskrat musk glands, Muskrat musk, Alcohol.

Frequently asked questions

Some questions and answers are automatically generated.

What does muskrat musk smell like?
Reviewers describe a complex scent with floral, animalic, and powdery notes that shift between sweet and earthy. Many note it oscillates between warm, wool-like qualities and more primal, musky undertones—less fecal than civet and less intensely sweet than some synthetic musks. One reviewer captured it as having hints of dark chocolate, leather, and fruit.
How strong is the scent?
This is powerful material. Multiple customers report that a very small amount goes a long way, with one reviewer noting it is "quite unlike any synthetics" in potency and depth. Many use it as a base note or fixative in blends rather than neat.
Does it work as a perfume base?
Yes. Customers consistently report adding it to perfume blends where it adds depth, smoothness, and lasting power. One reviewer noted it makes their perfume "lasts way longer" and another combined it with castoreum for added dimension and fruitier leather notes.
What is the consistency?
Reviewers describe it as a fluffy, whipped paste with a light color. One customer noted the texture allows it to blend nicely into other materials or macerations.
What are the ingredients?
According to the product description, it is made from ground fresh scent glands of the North American Muskrat at a 1:5 ratio using 80% ethanol. The complete ingredient list is: muskrat musk glands, muskrat musk, and alcohol.
Is this natural or synthetic?
This is a natural animal extract. The material is sourced from muskrat scent glands and made into a tincture with ethanol. Reviewers emphasize that the natural version has a character and complexity distinct from synthetic musk alternatives.
Who typically buys this product?
The audience is primarily natural perfumers and DIY fragrance makers who use this as an ingredient in custom blends. One reviewer with a 3-star rating noted it works best for those specifically drawn to animalic notes.
Can I dilute this in carrier oil?
A customer asked about transferring the tincture to carrier oil, but the reviews do not confirm whether this is recommended or effective. The product as sold is alcohol-based.

Customer Reviews

Based on 160 reviews
96%
(153)
1%
(1)
3%
(4)
1%
(2)
0%
(0)
F
Frank Hoeflich (Lincoln City, US)
Muskrat love began on my last order

Dan wisely gave me a sample of Muskrat on my last order. You can see immediately why it's one of his favourites - it does have a warm animalic thing going, not as fecal as civet, so you can even dose it a bit higher. I would still combine this with Castoreum for added depth and fruitier leather.

Anyway, believe it or not, I'm using up the sample in a perfume for my mother - not what I had intended. But it's obviously a great enough material that I'm back for more. Thank you, Dan!

J
Jact (Homestead, US)
Great product

Great product and fast shipping one of the best place to go for a real product with the quality need it, I will buy again soon!!

J
Jennifer Jones (Houston, US)
Natural Ingredients

I am a natural perfumer and wanted to expand my inventory. This was my first time to order from Apothecary’s Garden and I am very pleased! I have now added this beautiful Muskrat Oil to some of my blends and it adds so much depth and smoothness.

M
Minnie (Ashburn, US)
Great shop! I love muskrat!

Great shop! I love muskrat!

E
Etsy customer

Great shop! I love muskrat!

M
Marcos (Ashburn, US)
Amazing quality as always, will be back.

Amazing quality as always, will be back.

E
Etsy customer

Amazing quality as always, will be back.

E
Eulalia (Ashburn, US)
Lovely natural musk. It's fluffy and sligh...

Lovely natural musk. It's fluffy and slightly floral, and it would make a beautiful animalic nuance!

E
Etsy customer

Lovely natural musk. It’s fluffy and slightly floral, and it would make a beautiful animalic nuance!

P
Philip Marvin (Ashburn, US)
Great product and fast shipping. Fantastic...

Great product and fast shipping. Fantastic seller!

Reviews in Other Languages

A
Asmaa Romaguera (Ashburn, US)
consigliassimo questo prodotto, ottimo acq...

consigliassimo questo prodotto, ottimo acquisto

E
Etsy customer

consigliassimo questo prodotto, ottimo acquisto

E
Etsy customer

Very very nice comme d'habitude.