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Indian Woods

Q: Is Indian Woods natural or synthetic?

. Extraction: Composite accord — not a single extraction. Built from sandalwood oil or synthetics, other woody materials, and incense-resinous elements..

WOODS AND MOSSES / woody · rich · creamy

Indian Woods

Category	WOODS AND MOSSES
Subcategory	woody · rich · creamy
Origin
Volatility	Base Note
Botanical	N/A — accord evoking Santalum album, Aquilaria spp., Dalbergia spp. (sandalwood, oud, rosewood)
Odor Strength	Medium
Producing Countries	India
Pyramid	Base

Warm, resinous, and spice-tinged. Indian woods is a composite accord evoking the subcontinent's timber traditions — sandalwood's cream, rosewood's sweetness, teak's dryness, and a whisper of incense smoke.

Scent
The Full Story
Fun Fact
Extraction & Chemistry
In Perfumery

Scent

Warm, creamy-woody, and resinous with spice and incense undertones. The sandalwood component provides cream and warmth. Darker woods add structural density. The incense dimension adds smoke and ritual. The overall impression is of a carved wooden interior in a warm climate.

Warmer than European woods (oak, ash). More complex than single-wood notes. The spice-incense dimension distinguishes it from generic woody accords.

Evolution over time

Immediately

Warm, creamy-woody — sandalwood and spice-incense

After a few hours

Deeper, more resinous — incense and dark wood dominate

After a few days

Persistent, warm, creamy-woody base — sandalwood's endurance

The Full Story

Indian woods is not a single botanical but a composite perfumery concept encompassing the characteristic wood materials of the Indian subcontinent: sandalwood (Santalum album, creamy-lactonic), rosewood (rosy-sweet), teak (dry, slightly bitter), ebony (dense, dark), and the resinous-incense dimension from traditional use of these woods in temple and domestic rituals.

The accord typically combines sandalwood-type molecules (Javanol, Polysantol, or natural sandalwood oil) with darker, drier woody elements and a resinous-incense overlay. The result suggests Indian interiors — carved wood, incense, spice, and warmth.

Indian woods appears in amber, woody, and culturally specific compositions. It provides geographic specificity — these woods smell of India, not Scandinavia.

This note in Première Peau. Nuit Elastique · Albâtre Sépia. Sample all seven extraits in the Discovery Set.

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Related: Akigalawood · Ambrocenide · Asphalt · Burnt Match · Charred Wood · Cigarette · Coal · Cuban Cigar

Did You Know?

Did you know?

India has been the world's largest consumer and producer of sandalwood for centuries. The Karnataka state government controls all sandalwood trade and even individual trees — a sandalwood tree on private land legally belongs to the state, and the owner must report its death to authorities.

Extraction & Chemistry

Extraction method: Composite accord — not a single extraction. Built from sandalwood oil or synthetics, other woody materials, and incense-resinous elements.

Molecular Formula	N/A — accord composed of multiple materials
CAS Number	N/A — olfactory accord (not a single chemical)
Botanical Name	N/A — accord evoking Santalum album, Aquilaria spp., Dalbergia spp. (sandalwood, oud, rosewood)
IFRA Status	No known restrictions
Synonyms	SANDALWOOD · AGARWOOD · CEDARWOOD
Physical Properties
Odor Strength	Medium

In Perfumery

Indian woods is a base accord providing warm, resinous, culturally specific woody depth. Built from sandalwood molecules, dark-dry wood elements, and incense-resinous accents. Useful in amber, woody-spicy, and Indian-themed compositions. The composite nature allows perfumers to suggest a cultural context rather than a single tree species.