Sandalwood clear Absolute New Caledonia

Sandalwood, the precious wood of the Pacific, has a legendary fragrance. The heartwood, which is rich in fragrant essential oil, has been used since ancient times for religious purposes or traditional medicine. New Caledonian sandalwood is a small tree that lives in symbiosis with a host plant in its environment to draw the water and nutrients it needs. In the wild, sandalwood pairs with the “false guaiac” or Acacia spirobis. In nurseries, it is grown with a plant of the Alternanthera genus. Distillation of the heartwood produces sandalwood essential oil. The waste wood from this distillation is reutilized through extraction to produce sandalwood absolute. It develops a sweet, woody odor with a milky facet. For use by perfumers, the extract’s beautiful copper color is removed by molecular distillation to produce the clear absolute.

Known for its fragrance since ancient times for, sandalwood was used in many religious rituals. It was considered a royal gift and one of the three fundamental materials for incense, along with clove and agar. New Caledonian sandalwood is a species all its own with specific olfactory characteristics. It differs from Indian sandalwood (Santalum album), which is spicier, and Australian sandalwood (Santalum spicatum), which is not as milky.

Advised uses : Perfumery, Cosmetic