In the first installment, I would like to introduce you to the essential oil production at Jyuhachinichi(18th).
At Jyuhachinichi(18th), we sell our own distilled essential oils under the brand name “Kaoru Satoyama”.
Of course, all of the fragrances that we carry at Jyuhachinichi(18th) are ones that we can recommend with confidence, but the essential oils that we distill ourselves are just as lovely.
I would like more and more people to get to know our scents.
Gathering Materials
Collecting black locust one day
In the forest of Minami-Aizu, there are areas where coniferous trees such as cedars grow and areas where broad-leaved trees such as beech trees grow, but the Japanese buckthorn grows mainly under coniferous trees.
We are now collecting black locusts with the help of local people.
Grind into small pieces
Before distillation, it is crushed into small pieces in the crusher.
It makes a lot of noise, so ear protection is a must.
Distillation
Once the ingredients have been ground, it’s time to distill.
Right now, three distillers are working in the distillation studio in Minami-Aizu.
They range from 250 liters to 500 liters, and the distillers are changed according to the material to be distilled and the use of the essential oil.
The food-grade distillers can also be used to produce flavorings (food additives).
The second unit, commonly known as the “second unit,” is surrounded by this tree.
It has always been active in the distillation of cromophyllum.
There are many ways to distill essential oils, not only for cromwellia.
The size of the material to be crushed, the way the material is packed, the distillation time, the way the steam is applied, the temperature…
Before we released our essential oil as “Kaoru Satoyama Kuromoji Essential Oil” in Minamiaizu, we had to do a lot of experiments to check the fragrance and ingredients, and to find the best method.
Even now, we are still trying to create a product with the best fragrance possible, and data collection is a must.
It is true that fragrances may vary from time to time because they are natural products.
We are still distilling through a process of trial and error in the hope that we can eliminate any blurring of the aroma and deliver a product with a good fragrance to everyone.
Filter, bottle, and age
After the distillation is complete, the filtration process is done.
This is the process of separating the essential oil from the floral water, and removing dust and impurities from the essential oil.
This is an important process that affects the quality of the oil.
After that, the oil is matured.
Immediately after the distillation process, the oil has a unique aroma.
We call this smell “distillation smell”.
We call this scent “distillation smell,” which is like baked potatoes…it’s hard to describe unless you actually smell it, but in order to get rid of this “distillation smell,” we let the essential oil sleep in order to get its original fragrant scent.
In order to remove this “distillation smell” and make the essential oil have its original fragrant scent, the essential oil is put to bed. There are various conditions and times to put the oil to bed, and the results of past experiments are utilized here as well.
Analysis
It’s been allowed to mature, and the fragrant blackberry essential oil is ready!
However, the 18 days do not end here.
Each lot is analyzed for ingredients.
At the Tokyo office on the Jyuhachinichi(18th), we set up a gas chromatography analyzer and a high performance liquid chromatography analyzer.
We have a system in place to ensure that all of our essential oils are analyzed before being delivered to our customers.
We have established internal standards for each essential oil, and will not ship any essential oil that does not meet these standards.
We believe that it is important to ensure stable quality so that our customers can use our products with peace of mind.
Bottled and delivered to the customer
After going through various processes, the product is delivered to the customer.
It is available at stores nationwide and also at our online store.
We hope you enjoy it to the last drop.