August 9, 2026 · Fragrance knowledge
Sandalwood: From Overexploitation to Controlled Plantations
A wood that can only be harvested after thirty years. This has consequences.
2 min read
Sandalwood is the creamiest note in perfumery. Soft, milky, warm, with a comforting depth that no other wood can quite replicate. It is also a cautionary tale of what happens when a slow-growing raw material is consumed faster than it can replenish. The tree only produces its fragrant heartwood in significant quantities after about thirty years, and it is uprooted, roots and all, for extraction.
The impact of overexploitation
Classic Indian sandalwood, Santalum album from Mysore, was considered the gold standard for centuries. Overexploitation, illegal logging, and export restrictions have practically driven it out of mainstream perfumery. Anyone advertising it today is usually using very small quantities or a different species.
Australia as the answer
Today, the market is sustained predominantly by Santalum spicatum and plantation-grown Santalum album from Australia. These plantations are managed over decades and are fully traceable. The scent is slightly drier and less milky than the Indian original, but it is available and legal.
What sandalwood smells like
Creamy, milky, slightly sweet, with a gentle warmth and without the sharpness of cedar. It is one of the few woods that one would describe as "soft". In a composition, it rounds things off, softening sharp edges and connecting florals to the base.
Synthetic alternatives
Because the natural material is scarce, the industry relies heavily on sandalwood molecules developed in the laboratory. They capture the creamy core remarkably well and are even more stable in their performance than nature, which fluctuates from tree to tree. This is one of those cases where synthetics protect the raw material rather than replace it.
In brief
Why is sandalwood so expensive?
The tree only forms its fragrant heartwood after about thirty years, and it is uprooted for extraction.
What does sandalwood smell like?
Creamy, milky, slightly sweet and warm, without the sharpness of cedar. It rounds off compositions.
The upshot
Sandalwood is the reason why some fragrances feel "soft" without being sweet. If you appreciate creamy, serene compositions, it is the note to look for. It can be found in the woody and, in softer variations, in the powdery family, for example in Scent No. 52 · Chioggia or Scent No. 98 · Imperia.
