Chinese cedar (Cedrus deodara from the western Himalayas and the Cupressus funebris cypress varieties from southern China) yields oil that is sharper, drier, and more pencil-shaving in character than Atlas or Virginia cedar, with a slight smoky-incense undertone unique to the East Asian distillation tradition. The oil is steam-distilled from heartwood chips and aged before perfumery use to allow the resin compounds to mellow. Chinese cedar appears in niche-perfumery compositions that lean into the dry-wood family, including several Le Labo, Maison Crivelli, and Boadicea the Victorious releases. It pairs especially well with vetiver, sandalwood, iris, and pink pepper for modern unisex compositions. Browse Chinese-cedar-led fragrances at the Chinese cedar collection.
