N/A — synthetic molecule (a Swiss fragrance house, sandalwood-type)
Appearance
Colorless to pale yellow clear liquid
Odor Strength
Medium
Producing Countries
Europe (Switzerland — a Swiss fragrance house)
Pyramid
Base
Creamy, milky, and sandalwood-true. Santamanol is a synthetic sandalwood molecule with an unusually faithful reproduction of the natural oil's lactonic, skin-warm character — closer to genuine santalol than most competitors.
Creamy, milky, and warmly woody. The lactonic quality is prominent — warm milk over soft wood, very close to natural sandalwood's signature. Less aggressive than Ambroxan. Less purely woody than Ebanol. More rounded and naturalistic than Javanol, which can read slightly metallic in high doses.
On blotter, Santamanol persists for 24-48 hours, approximating (though not equaling) the extraordinary substantivity of the natural oil.
Evolution over time
Immediately
Immediately
Creamy, milky, warm wood — close to natural sandalwood
After a few hours
After a few hours
Deepening lactonic warmth, buttery and skin-close
After a few days
After a few days
Persistent, soft, woody-creamy base — naturalistic fade
The Full Story
Santamanol is a synthetic sandalwood-type odorant designed to closely replicate the creamy, lactonic character of natural alpha-santalol — the primary odorant in Indian sandalwood oil. Among the growing family of sandalwood replacers, Santamanol is noted for its fidelity to the natural oil's warm, milky quality.
The molecule captures the buttery, skin-warm aspect of sandalwood better than many competitors: Javanol is creamier but less woody; Polysantol is woodier but less lactonic; Sandalore has a broader, less focused sandalwood character. Santamanol's strength is its naturalistic balance.
As a commodity molecule (not a captive), Santamanol is available from multiple suppliers. It has become an important building block in modern sandalwood accords, particularly as the price and availability of natural Indian sandalwood continue to be problematic.
Natural sandalwood oil contains over 300 individual compounds. Reproducing its complete scent profile requires blending multiple synthetic molecules — no single synthetic, including Santamanol, captures the full complexity of the 300-compound natural oil.
Extraction & Chemistry
Extraction method: Synthetic molecule. Manufactured through chemical synthesis. Available as a commodity ingredient from multiple fragrance ingredient suppliers. Not a captive — widely accessible in the industry.
Molecular Formula
C₁₅H₂₄O
CAS Number
115-71-9
Botanical Name
N/A — synthetic molecule (a Swiss fragrance house, sandalwood-type)
IFRA Status
No known restrictions
Synonyms
SANTALOL · SANDALWOOD DERIVATIVE
Physical Properties
Odor Strength
Medium
Appearance
Colorless to pale yellow clear liquid
Boiling Point
298 to 301 °C @ 760 mm Hg
Specific Gravity
0.965 to 0.975 @ 25 °C (est)
In Perfumery
Santamanol functions as a base note providing naturalistic sandalwood warmth. It is a key ingredient in modern sandalwood accords, often blended with Javanol, Polysantol, or natural sandalwood fractions to create a multidimensional sandalwood base. Applicable across amber, woody, floral, and skin-scent families. Its naturalistic quality makes it useful anywhere genuine sandalwood would traditionally be used.
