Sandalwood smells creamy, milky and soft-woody, with a buttery warmth and a faint smokiness that reads almost meditative. It is one of the few woods that feels as comforting as it does refined.
The most prized source has always been Santalum album, historically from Mysore in India, where heartwood was slow-grown for decades before harvest. Overharvesting has made Mysore oil scarce and costly, so most modern perfumery uses sustainably grown Australian sandalwood (Santalum spicatum and Santalum album from plantations in Western Australia) or New Caledonian oil, all steam-distilled from the heartwood and roots.
Sandalwood is a base note and a natural fixative. Perfumers pair it with rose and jasmine for classic florals, with oud and saffron for Arabian blends, and with vanilla, tonka and musk for soft, skin-close modern compositions.
Sandalwood performs year-round, reading coolest in hot weather where its creaminess soothes, and warmest in winter layered with spice and amber.
