Juniper berry essential oil (Juniperus communis) is a steam-distilled oil from the berries and needles of the juniper plant. The best oils are sourced from Bulgaria, their indigenous region, and take a full THREE years to ripen to maturity. The aroma is somewhat sweet, balsamic, and (obviously) very similar in smell to the juniper shrubs. Juniper closely resembles cypress, and like cypress it is valued for its detoxifying action on the body.