What Guarantees Does the AOP Label Provide for Lavender Essential Oil?

What Guarantees Does the AOP Label Provide for Lavender Essential Oil?

High-Provence Lavender, the only fragrant plant with a Protected Designation of Origin

Lavender essential oil, also known as fine lavender or true lavender, is the only essential oil to benefit from a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) label. This means that it's the only essential oil among all the plants that can bear the AOP label on its bottle, provided that the quality is perfect, thanks to its limestone and mountainous terroir, a highly diverse population genetics due to natural reproduction by seed, and perfectly mastered traditional distillation. Each year, less than 10 tons of fine lavender extract are certified AOP out of 100 tons of total fine lavender production in France. But what is the purpose of this AOP label, "Protected Designation of Origin Lavender from Haute-Provence," what quality does it guarantee for the consumer, and how can one obtain it?

The Guarantee of Purchasing the Finest Lavender Essential Oil from Haute-Provence

Since its creation in 1981 as an Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) and recently as AOP (Appellation d'Origine Protégée), the qualities of lavender essential oil from Haute-Provence have been controlled and protected.

Olfactory and analytical analyses determine the essential criteria of the only lavender in the world that undergoes these tests.

However, the primary criterion is geography and terroir: only producers from four French departments (Drôme, Vaucluse, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, Hautes-Alpes), with communes located above 800 meters in altitude, can present their lavender essential oil production for this quality selection of AOP Lavender from Haute-Provence.

AOP Lavender, Strict Specifications

Each year, the "Le Château du Bois" estate presents its entire production and obtains the AOP certificate "Lavender Fine Essential Oil from Haute-Provence."

Transparency and traceability of "Le Château du Bois" productions are major guarantees of safety and quality for its users.

"Le Château du Bois" has guaranteed the high quality of its lavender essential oil every year since 1890.

A Label for Authentic Fine Lavender

This label is also a guarantee to the consumer that they are buying a genuine and quality product. Indeed, it is the only way to guarantee the origin and quality of a product. Population fine lavender (reproduced by seed) is the only flower protected by a PDO.

How to Obtain the Protected Designation of Origin for Fine Lavender?

The 3 criteria for the AOP lavender:

1. Geographic Criterion:

Like any wine or cheese appellation, AOP or AOC valorizes products intrinsically linked to the terroir. Population fine lavender only grows and naturally reproduces by seed in Haute-Provence because it is its endemic zone. It can, therefore, benefit from its AOP "Lavender from Haute-Provence."

The AOP lavender extends to 4 departments, mainly Vaucluse (84), Alpes-de-Haute-Provence (04), Hautes-Alpes (05), and Drôme (26).

It is a predefined list of communes, always at an altitude of over 800 meters!

This geographical criterion ensures traceability to the consumer, as well as lavender grown in its preferred terroir, which is very important to obtain a fine and lightly scented essence.

2. Olfactory Criterion:

Every year, a panel of experts consisting of perfumers and fine lavender producers is brought together by the AOP commission to smell the sample from the annual harvest and give a score.

The session takes place blindly, with no one knowing which producer each batch comes from to avoid cheating.

The goal is to eliminate oils with odors that do not conform to the ideal olfactory characteristics of fine lavender.

Overly strong distillates that are "burnt" are discarded, as are samples that smell of camphor. The aim is to keep only the essences perfect for perfumery.

3. Analytical Criterion:

The essential oil from each batch presented to the commission is analyzed using gas chromatography. This analysis determines and quantifies each of the molecules present in fine lavender oil.

The essential oil must be perfectly balanced, with each molecule present in a given concentration. If the oil is diluted, tampered with, modified, or from a different variety like lavandin, the batch is rejected and cannot bear the "AOP" label.

Therefore, AOP Lavender from Haute-Provence is 100% pure and natural essential oil with all the therapeutic benefits mentioned in the European pharmacopoeia.

The analytical criterion of AOP guarantees the purity and effectiveness of fine lavender essential oil.