Common name: Brazilian Pepper berry (a.k.a. Rose pepper, Brazilian pepper)
Genus name: Schinus terebinthifolius (a species of the Cashew family Anacardiaceae)
Family: (cool) Spicy
Blends well with: black pepper, pink pepper, citruses, bergamot, Sumac (smoke tree)
Chemical components: Mostly monoterpene hydrocarbons (together about 10% of the mass of the dried berries): 21% Δ3‑carene, 20% α‑pinene, 13% α‑phellandrene, 9% limonene, 8% p‑cymene and 6% β‑phellandrene. Furthermore, monoterpene, sequiterpene and triterpene derivatives were reported: cis‑sabinole, carvotanacetone, β‑caryophyllene, α‑ and β‑cubebane, α‑amyrin, α‑amyrenone, masticadienoic acid and hydroxymasticadienoic acid. The sweet taste (cf. licorice) of the dried berries is due to considerable amounts of sugar. (Gernot Katzer’s Spice Pages)
The major constituents are a-pinene 16.3%, limonene 13.3%, delta 3-carene 10.8%. The content of phellandrene is 8% and this is responsible for the peppery element of this oil. (Hermitage)
Pink peppercorns don’t have any of the pungent piperine found in black, white, and green pepper heat, but they do have other aroma compounds in common. Pinene, limonene, phellandrene, and carene are found in both types of peppercorns. Terpene flavour Compound family – highly volatile and easily evaporate and oxidize when exposed to air, light, and heat. (Table Fare)
Interesting bits: grown widely as an ornamental plant, native of Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay. Not to be confused with Pink pepper because it is not a true pepper, although related to the Schinus molle. This shrub or small tree can thrive in all kinds of ecosystems. This is also a melliferous plant meaning it produces a substance that can be collected by insects and turned into honey.
Their nose: The smell is a cleaner version of pink pepper, soft, gentle, enticing, it draws you in and just when you think you understand the smell, it hits you with a gorgeous, warm, peppery punch. (Hermitage)
My nose: Of course this opens up wildly pungent, piercing, happily spicy, terpine-like, radiant and sunny! It follows through, 15 minutes later, to become warm, sort of Cedarwood in quality, pencil shavings is what I get here. 30 minutes on and it’s still pungent, piercingly clean, a bit understated now, exotic, masculine a bit herbaceous. After 45 minutes I still get pencil shavings, strongly terpenic, a flash of spice, fading but much more slowly, and I remember sharpening my pencil in front of the classroom. 1 hour later and I get particles, pieces, shavings, hushed and woody, yes, that facet comes through strongly for me, cooler now, lingering and definitely not imposing. 2 hours later and it’s much less terpenic, much more green in quality, now I can envision it with florals, much less aggressive, but also less radiant now too, I see the leaves of the rose not the blossom when I smell Brazilian pepper. Then 3 hours later it’s a very no-nonsense, clean, clear-cut smell dwindling down to a very refreshing note. 7 hours into the dry down and it’s somewhat piercing, dry, the paper is coming through and it’s almost gone. 24 hours later and it’s still clean, clear, still fully “peppery” and quite long lasting.
Musings on composition: I get this working with Cedarwood, Sandalwood or Fir Absolute, even with my beloved Black Spruce Absolute.