Sandalwood oil of the day

[Mr.P]

It’s funny but I’ve had the same experience. One of my best performing sandalwood oils is a New Caledonian absolute (not the crappy decolorized oil or the crap made from spent sandalwood chips after distillation). You’d never confuse it for Indian oil but it has such a wonderful dry down.

I spent some time conversing with Ramakant Harlaka when he was working with white lotus. He is a chemist who studies sandalwood and was convinced that oxidation of the components of sandalwood oil that occurs during long slow distillation is critical to producing highest quality oil. Sesquiterpene alcohols (santalols) become aldehydes and acetates and these have more complex aromas and create a rich and multilayered scent beyond the mere santalols themselves.

And the pinnacle of my Sandalwood collection is an oil he distilled from a single old Tamil Nadu tree, low temp deg distillation over many many days. Managed to stash a bunch of this away, will last the rest of my life at least.

 

[William Birch]

It’s funny but I’ve had the same experience. One of my best performing sandalwood oils is a New Caledonian absolute (not the crappy decolorized oil or the crap made from spent sandalwood chips after distillation). You’d never confuse it for Indian oil but it has such a wonderful dry down.

I spent some time conversing with Ramakant Harlaka when he was working with white lotus. He is a chemist who studies sandalwood and was convinced that oxidation of the components of sandalwood oil that occurs during long slow distillation is critical to producing highest quality oil. Sesquiterpene alcohols (santalols) become aldehydes and acetates and these have more complex aromas and create a rich and multilayered scent beyond the mere santalols themselves.

And the pinnacle of my Sandalwood collection is an oil he distilled from a single old Tamil Nadu tree, low temp deg distillation over many many days. Managed to stash a bunch of this away, will last the rest of my life at least.

I wish I was on my Sandalwood journey when White Lotus was still around, I’ve heard nothing but glowing reviews of their Sandalwood oils.

Such a shame if only I was a few years earlier lol.

 

[oud.time]

Kangiiten Mysore vs FeelOud Santal Millennium (2000)

Yesterday I decided to bust out some oils I haven't worn in awhile to see how my thoughts on them have changed. Kangiiten was the clear winner of the two. The Millennium was just dusty and boring and nothing special. The Kangiiten wasn't amazing either but it was warmer and sweeter. Not bad for its price I suppose. The Millenium does have a slightly better drydown though. The one benefit of age.

So this goes to show that just because an oil is older doesn't magically make it better!

 

[Ofaruk]

Hikayat Santal Tonka. By far the most regal sandalwood in sprayable format that I have ever come across.

 

[Mr.P]

i tend to avoid modern / commercial fragrance but I’ve been enjoying sandalo by etro today. Nice sweet, natural smelling cologne with a definite sandalwood vibe. Very unique fragrance

 

[William Birch]

Today I received Tonga 1999 by The Attar Store. A very unique Sandalwood it’s almost honey like to my nose with an amazing creaminess to its heart and a floral/rose like top.

 

[William Birch]

With my Aroma Sublime 60 year old Mysore oil I also generously got two samples of Aroma Sublimes Japanese Sandalwoods. I’ve just tried Zen One and it’s fantastic!!

It’s a very “green” oil to me and spicy too. I get both black and pink peppercorns with some cedar and creaminess but also a little pine and almost a kind of mentholic aspect too it as it’s very cooling I find it hard to explain.


A lovely oil that I will definitely be buying a larger bottle of.

 

[oud.time]

With my Aroma Sublime 60 year old Mysore oil I also generously got two samples of Aroma Sublimes Japanese Sandalwoods. I’ve just tried Zen One and it’s fantastic!!

It’s a very “green” oil to me and spicy too. I get both black and pink peppercorns with some cedar and creaminess but also a little pine and almost a kind of mentholic aspect too it as it’s very cooling I find it hard to explain.


A lovely oil that I will definitely be buying a larger bottle of.

I ordered zen one as well because it came with such an interesting story. The tree being over 100 years old and from the garden of a Zen Buddhist temple. I knew I probably wasn’t going to like the oil, because of the strong peppercorns, but I wanted it in my collection regardless.

The one interesting thing is the prominent cedar note. The story states that cedar trees grow near by. Sandalwood trees are partial root parasites and it makes me wonder if the surrounding plants have an effect on the aromatic compounds produced.

Either way I’m glad you enjoy it!

 

[language scent]

Got this from India sometime 1-2 years ago and I cant find the source where I bought it. it smells like pure honey light cream, and no spice at all, no butter at all and kinda soapy. very light colored oil. I would not be surprised if it is not real, but, strangely when I smell it I do feel a bit more focused

 

[oud.time]

CraftOud - Santal Supreme 2

Wore this last night to bed. Couldn’t stop sniffing my arm! The opening was very bright. Perhaps honey and citrus? Very enjoyable. Then dried down to the typical old wood Mysore.

 

[oud.time]

Fawz - Habzoud

Opens with the green herbal woody smell common to Sri Lankan oils. The honey drydown is really nice though.

 

[DubOudh]

A few swipes of NTT sandalwood infused for eighteen months with some ancient white ambergris.
This is one of my favourite sandalwood oils, if not the favourite.
Ambergris brings out the best in this one.

 

[oud.time]

A few swipes of NTT sandalwood infused for eighteen months with some ancient white ambergris.
This is one of my favourite sandalwood oils, if not the favourite.
Ambergris brings out the best in this one.

I don’t think I’ve ever smelled anything with ambergris before.

How does it smell? And how does it change the sandalwood?

 

[DubOudh]

I don’t think I’ve ever smelled anything with ambergris before.

How does it smell? And how does it change the sandalwood?

I find with the white ambergris there is a salty freshness to the oil. The oil itself changes colour.
From golden to ruby red. The picture attached includes the oil with some musk as well.
It changes the buttery normal scent and seems to turn it to a caramel type buttery scent with that salty edge.
The NTT oil I find is quite a vanilla ish base scent throughout.
Much nicer scent profile then Mysore, in my opinion.

 

[oud.time]

I find with the white ambergris there is a salty freshness to the oil. The oil itself changes colour.
From golden to ruby red. The picture attached includes the oil with some musk as well.
It changes the buttery normal scent and seems to turn it to a caramel type buttery scent with that salty edge.
The NTT oil I find is quite a vanilla ish base scent throughout.
Much nicer scent profile then Mysore, in my opinion.

I'm definetly going to have to try that sometime! How long do you have to soak the ambergis in the sandalwood before you get the scent you want?

 

[oud.time]

Santalum Spicatum Showdown!

Eden Botanicals Australian Organic vs Australian Premium

I've only been in the oil game for about a year and I've noticed in the last few weeks that I'm getting better at identifying notes. I've also noticed I'm able to notice more notes than I could before. So I've been going through all my oils seeing how I interpret them now

I honestly have never liked spicatum oils. And I still don't! They are just overly sweet. Both of these oils have a similar drydown but the neat thing is the top notes that I now recognize in them. The Organic has this dry cinnamon along with a slight maple scent. The Premium has a much more pronounced maple scent which is quite nice.

I don't know how long it takes most people to be able to recognize all the notes in an oil but I'm glad that I'm getting better at it. It is like getting introduced to oils all over again!

 

[Jazzoid]

I'm having a similar experience. Am just over a year in and things smell wildly different to how they did when I first started!

 

[The Scent Guru]

Tonight it's Tonga 1999 from @Hamza H at The Attar store as he was so kind to provide a nice sample! I find Sandalwood so relaxing, meditative, reflective.

 

[Musk Rahil]

I find with the white ambergris there is a salty freshness to the oil. The oil itself changes colour.
From golden to ruby red. The picture attached includes the oil with some musk as well.
It changes the buttery normal scent and seems to turn it to a caramel type buttery scent with that salty edge.
The NTT oil I find is quite a vanilla ish base scent throughout.
Much nicer scent profile then Mysore, in my opinion.

looking good , what we call this bottle name please ?

 

[DubOudh]

I'm definetly going to have to try that sometime! How long do you have to soak the ambergis in the sandalwood before you get the scent you want?

It dissolves quickly enough but I usually leave it for a minimum of three months with a shake every now and then to help it infuse. It's worth experimenting with small amount first.