Attar
A traditional perfume made by distilling flowers or other materials into a base oil, usually sandalwood.
Also: ittar, itr
Attar is an oil-based perfume with no alcohol. In the traditional Indian method, flowers and water are heated in a sealed copper still, called a deg, and the vapour passes through a bamboo pipe into a receiver that holds sandalwood oil, which absorbs the scent. The process is repeated over many days. Rose, jasmine, kewra and marigold attars are made this way. The town of Kannauj in Uttar Pradesh is the best-known centre. Attar is worn in tiny amounts on the skin.