Segment Information - Reportable Segment Information (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
		Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015
Net sales:
Net sales		$ 777,001	$ 765,092	$ 2,353,790	$ 2,307,540
Segment profit:
Restructuring and other charges, net		0	0	0	170
Operating profit		124,339	156,713	456,034	467,328
Interest expense		(13,111)	(11,855)	(40,649)	(34,357)
Other income, net		2,162	(1,959)	4,952	3,315
Income before taxes		113,390	142,899	420,337	436,286
Flavors [Member]
Net sales:
Net sales		366,857	359,103	1,118,869	1,108,689
Segment profit:
Operating profit		77,512	79,803	259,662	256,546
Fragrances [Member]
Net sales:
Net sales		410,144	405,989	1,234,921	1,198,851
Segment profit:
Operating profit		85,010	90,893	261,843	252,416
Global expenses [Member]
Segment profit:
Operating profit		(11,405)	(6,874)	(37,544)	(27,067)
Corporate and Other [Member]
Segment profit:
Restructuring and other charges, net		(190)	0	(473)	170
Acquisition and related costs	[1]	(786)	(6,830)	(2,035)	(13,896)
Operational improvement initiative costs	[2]	(802)	(279)	(1,901)	(841)
Spanish capital tax settlement	[3]	0	0	1,482	0
Legal charge	[4]	$ (25,000)	$ 0	$ (25,000)	$ 0

[1] Acquisition and related costs are associated with the 2015 acquisitions of Ottens Flavors and Lucas Meyer as discussed in Note 3, including inventory step-up charges related to the inventory acquired

[2] Operational improvement initiative costs relate to accelerated depreciation, dismantling and severance costs in Asia in the 2016 period and accelerated depreciation in the 2015 period.

[3] The Spanish capital tax settlement represents interest received from the Spanish government related to the reversal of the unfavorable ruling the Spanish capital tax case from 2002, which was reversed during the year ended December 31, 2015.

[4] The legal charge relates to the reserve recorded for the ZoomEssence case as discussed in Note 13.