Divorcing Sandalwood

[Saudalhajri]

Check our our artisanal Ceylon sandalwood from heartwood, dark in color and smell is exceptional.

I have that type of Ceylon as well, too much of it. Deep golden cognac color with intense resinous nutty dark sugar coconut notes. It’s pretty nice and one of the few sandalwoods I enjoy.

 

[harshabhat86]

I have that type of Ceylon as well, too much of it. Deep golden cognac color with intense resinous nutty dark sugar coconut notes. It’s pretty nice and one of the few sandalwoods I enjoy.

I’m sure you have tried, but what are your thoughts on New Caledonian SW oils ? I like them a lot.

 

[Saudalhajri]

I’m sure you have tried, but what are your thoughts on New Caledonian SW oils ? I like them a lot.

it was my first ever exposure to genuine pure sandalwood oil. I havent smelled it in many years, but if i remember correctly it had an oily (not buttery) scent, along with green woodiness, ill have to go check it again. i have a small musk maceration in NC sandalwood

 

[Olfactory Nomad]

it was my first ever exposure to genuine pure sandalwood oil. I havent smelled it in many years, but if i remember correctly it had an oily (not buttery) scent, along with green woodiness, ill have to go check it again. i have a small musk maceration in NC sandalwood

Interestingly I came across this video today.

 

[LasLunas]

Interestingly I came across this video today.

Wowee, makes me feel guilty over the quantity of Sandalwood oil I have consumed during past 55 years. Yikes...
Thanks for posting video!

 

[Mr.P]

Wowee, makes me feel guilty over the quantity of Sandalwood oil I have consumed during past 55 years. Yikes...
Thanks for posting video!

My experience with New Caledonian was that there was some REALLY good creamy santalol rich oil available maybe 15-20 years ago and then everything I got after that was extremely bland smelling with odd plastic like notes. I think it might've been a change from wild to plantation wood. I stopped sampling NC oil years ago in frustration

 

[Olfactory Nomad]

Having the "spirit" of the place in which the tree is grown plus age is so important.

 

[Alex Zhy]

Hello friends,
If I'm more or less clear about the musk-sandalwood oil maceration: 20% musk + 10% ambergris + 70% sandalwood oil works well—what ratio would you recommend for oud?

Also I have white and green Hainan kynam, Guangdong green kynam, and Hainan oud (all steam-distilled).
Which of these would you recommend for musk maceration?
Thank you!

 

[Saudalhajri]

Hello friends,
If I'm more or less clear about the musk-sandalwood oil maceration: 20% musk + 10% amber + 70% sandalwood oil works well—what ratio would you recommend for oud?

Also I have white and green Hainan kynam, Guangdong green kynam, and Hainan oud (all steam-distilled).
Which of these would you recommend for musk maceration?
Thank you!

From my experience you need very little musk to affect Oud, I’m not exaggerating if I say 0.12g for 3ml of Oud is enough to significantly alter it. Anywhere from 5-10% is good.
Musk affects rose and Oud more t than in sandalwood In my experience. It alters the scent of the oud itself, mutating it into something much more beautiful, it doesn’t smell like Oud and musk, but something else entirely.

 

[Alex Zhy]

From my experience you need very little musk to affect Oud, I’m not exaggerating if I say 0.12g for 3ml of Oud is enough to significantly alter it. Anywhere from 5-10% is good.
Musk affects rose and Oud more t than in sandalwood In my experience. It alters the scent of the oud itself, mutating it into something much more beautiful, it doesn’t smell like Oud and musk, but something else entirely.

Thanks for your reply! 🙏🏻
Do you think it's worth adding a little ambergris?
Have you experimented with other additives?

 

[olfactors]

In my experience, I have a preference for Indonesian sandalwood oils. They have a more woody-dry, earthy profile, with almost resinous nuances that remind me of pine. However, I agree with the general opinion that the nuances between sandalwood oils of different origins are quite subtle.
Even though I love sandalwood, I have a little frustration with the projection and longevity of sandalwood oils. I have to put my nose to my wrists to really smell the scent of the oil and it fades quite quickly, after 2-3 hours. Beyond this time, I only have a trace of the wood which remains for a very long time, but which no longer has the same projection force as at the beginning.

After reading this thread, I only have one desire: to add musk to the oud. Until now, I had intended to make several small macerations based on sandalwood musk with the small quantity of grains that I have, but since I discovered oud, this idea has only been running through my head, and your comments only make me want to 😛

I agree with some who find that sandalwood "overwhelms" the scent of musk. The difference is quite striking between a musk/sandalwood maceration and pure musk grains. The "animal" part, the many nuances of musk "disappear" with the sandalwood. It's quite fascinating, both sandalwood is not a very strong scent like oud, but it takes a lot of space on musk when combined with it.

Im late to this chain but I couldn’t help but chip in on that “pine“ nuance you’re referring to. I haven’t seen many other people describe it as such but I definitely expirience the same note. I remember the first fragrance I had an encounter with this note was Areej’s Al Sandal. Again, the way you described it—“a more woody-dry, earthy profile, with almost resinous nuances that remind me of pine” is exactly what type of soul it typically has to my nose that I don’t see many people having the same interpretations.