Sandalwood belongs to the genus Santalum, there are over 16 different Sandalwood species found across the globe, according to Padmanabha. With some producing a highly aromatic wood, called heartwood, which can retain its fragrance for decades. Indian Sandalwood (Santalum album) and Australian Sandalwood (Santalum spicatum) are now two of the most coveted varieties. Compared to all other sandalwood, what makes Indian sandalwood the most unique is that it has the highest concentration of alpha and beta santalols, containing up to 90% of the compounds. However, illegal trading and overharvesting of the species made it scarce in the early 1990s, leading to it being listed as a vulnerable species in 1998 by the International Union for Conservation (IUCN).
If Indian Sandalwood is the king of woods, then Australian Sandalwood is the undisputed prince. Whilst retaining the classic woody base note synonymous with Sandalwood, it has a greener, fresher top note than its Indian counterpart. Australian Sandalwood is a tree grows mostly in the wilds in the state of Western Australia, managed by the Western Australia Forest Products Commission (FPC). The Noongar peoples know the plant as uilarac, waang, wolgol, or wollgat, while the Martu people of the Gibson Desert call it dutjahn. Nowadays, the FPC regulates the conservation, harvesting and replanting of this native resource and as part of its regeneration program, each year it disperses more than five million seeds across approximately 20,000 hectares of land, ensuring environmentally sustainable supply of Australian Sandalwood for the long term.
With its powerful fragrant and medicinal properties, the Sandalwood oil can be used in thousands of products including cosmetics, lotions and fragrances. Sandalwood as an aroma is certainly difficult to replace, back in 1921, perfumer Ernest Beaux incorporated aliphatic aldehydes in the formulation of Chanel No.5 perfume. It was the first time that a perfume with a synthetic ingredient became a hit. Studies show Sandalwood oil can induce a feeling of well-being, triggering the feel-good neurochemicals dopamine and serotonin. It also inhibits delta opioid receptors in the brain, which are linked to major depressive disorder.
