Australian Sandalwood

Australian Sandalwood is a woody note from Santalum spicatum, a native sandalwood of the semi-arid scrublands of Western and South Australia. Drier, lighter and more resinous than Indian sandalwood, it has a smooth woody core with green and slightly spicy facets, and it is now one of the main natural sandalwoods used in perfumery.

What does Australian Sandalwood smell like?

The oil opens with a brighter, slightly sharp, almost citrusy-green edge that Indian sandalwood lacks, before settling into a dry, clean wood with a soft balsamic sweetness. It is less milky and buttery than S. album, because it contains considerably less santalol (often roughly 40% compared with far higher levels in Indian oil), and it carries other compounds that give it a drier, more resinous tone. Many perfumers find it more modern and transparent, and it works well when a creamy wood would feel too heavy.

Where Australian Sandalwood comes from

S. spicatum grows in the dry interior of south-west Australia, where it depends on host plants such as acacias. Oil is distilled in Western Australia, including at Mount Romance near Albany, from wild-harvested and plantation-grown trees. Note that Indian sandalwood (S. album) is also grown on large plantations in northern Australia; its oil is sold as Indian or East Indian sandalwood rather than Australian sandalwood.

Also known as: West Australian sandalwood, Santalum spicatum
Fragrance family: Woody
Type: Natural
Main origins: Western Australia; South Australia (smaller scale)
How it's obtained: Steam distillation, or solvent/CO2 extraction, of heartwood and roots
Key aroma molecules: α-santalol, β-santalol, farnesols

Australian Sandalwood in perfume history

Western Australia began exporting sandalwood timber in the 1840s, mainly to China for incense, and for decades it was one of the colony's most valuable exports. Oil distillation became significant in the twentieth century, but the ingredient gained real standing in perfumery only when Indian supplies collapsed in the 1990s and 2000s.

Australian Sandalwood in modern perfumery

Today Western Australia is a major supplier to the global sandalwood oil market. Harvesting is licensed and linked to replanting, although the species is listed as Vulnerable and wild regeneration is poor. Perfumers use it in natural and niche compositions and blend it with synthetic sandalwoods for extra creaminess.

How Australian Sandalwood wears and what it pairs with

It is a long-lasting base note with a lighter touch than Indian oil. It pairs well with bergamot, fig leaf, neroli, cardamom, cedar, vetiver, iris and musk.