Origin and Regulatory Context
Santalum album is native to South and Southeast Asia. The trees harvested in Karnataka, India, historically designated as Mysore State, have long supplied the fragrance industry with what became the canonical reference for sandalwood odor: creamy, milky, warm, soft-woody with faint sweet-balsamic depth. The Indian government controls the harvest through state monopoly in Karnataka, making access tightly regulated.
Due to overharvesting over the twentieth century, wild Santalum album populations are listed under CITES Appendix II, requiring documentation for international trade. Plantation cultivation has expanded in India, Australia, and Indonesia to supplement wild supply, but Mysore-origin oil commands a significant price premium.
Olfactory Profile and Industry Status
The olfactive signature of genuine Mysore sandalwood rests on its high content of alpha- and beta-santalol isomers, which produce the characteristic creamy, smooth, long-lasting woodiness. Perfumers regard it as one of the finest base notes available, valued for its blending versatility, skin affinity, and exceptional longevity on skin and fabric.
Synthetic sandalwood molecules (Javanol, Sandalore, Polysantol, Ebanol) were partly developed in response to the restricted availability of natural Santalum album. Niche houses that use authenticated Mysore sandalwood oil often cite it as a provenance marker. IFRA places no direct restriction on sandalwood oil but supply scarcity acts as a practical constraint.
See Also
Related entries: Australian Sandalwood, Sourcing, Longevity.
Sources
- CITES. Santalum album listing, Appendix II. cites.org.
- Arctander, S. Perfume and Flavor Materials of Natural Origin. 1960.
- Sell, C. The Chemistry of Fragrances. RSC Publishing, 2006.