Description

Indian sandalwood, or white sandalwood, is one of the oldest perfumes in the world, used as incense since ancient times. The fragrant wood of this small tree, found primarily in India, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka, is the source of sandalwood essential oil, extracted by steam distillation. Indian sandalwood is of the Santalum album species. Though very close to New Caledonian sandalwood Santalum austrocaledonicum in composition, it has different, spicier olfactory nuances. The sweet, balsamic, woody fragrance is softened by a creamy, milky note. Used as incense in religious rites, sandalwood is mentioned in the sacred Sanskrit texts and Chinese manuscripts from four millennia ago. Some temples were even made with this wood, along with fragrant sculptures of deities.