N/A — synthetic woody molecule (a Swiss fragrance house proprietary)
Appearance
colorless to pale yellow clear liquid
Odor Strength
Medium
Producing Countries
Synthetic production (a Swiss fragrance house, Switzerland)
Pyramid
Base
A proprietary woody molecule — dry, transparent, and cedarwood-adjacent. Timberol provides the clean, structural warmth of sanded timber without heaviness or resinous sweetness.
Dry, clean, and structurally woody — sanded timber rather than living tree. No resinous sweetness, no camphor sharpness, no smoke. The character is deliberately neutral and architectural: wood as building material, not as forest. Closer to Virginia cedarwood than sandalwood, drier than Iso E Super, less musky than Cashmeran. A molecule designed to be useful rather than memorable.
Evolution over time
Immediately
Immediately
Clean, dry wood — sanded timber, cedarwood without camphor, a transparent woody brightness
After a few hours
After a few hours
Woody warmth develops, quiet and structural, neither sweet nor sharp
After a few days
After a few days
Faint, dry, woody residue — clean timber, warm and persistent
The Full Story
Timberol is a proprietary woody molecule designed for clarity. Where natural cedarwood oil carries camphoraceous sharpness, and sandalwood brings creamy sweetness, Timberol offers wood stripped to its essential character: dry, warm, structural, and transparent.
The molecule functions in the heart-to-base register, providing the woody backbone that many contemporary fragrances need without the heaviness or complexity of natural wood materials. It is cedarwood-adjacent in character — closer to the clean, pencil-shaving dryness of Virginia cedarwood than to the smoky richness of Atlas cedar — but without the turpentine-like terpene notes that natural cedar oils carry.
In formulati on, Timberol is a structural element: the wooden frame that other notes are hung upon. In citrus-aromatic compositions, it provides the warm foundati on that citrus top notes need without competing for attenti on. In floral hearts, it adds a clean woody depth. In woody-amber structures, it blends smooth with Iso E Super, Ambroxan, and other modern base molecules. Its transparency makes it particularly useful in minimalist and 'clean' fragrance styles.
The proliferation of proprietary woody molecules in perfumery — Timberol, Timbersilk, Georgywood, Dreamwood, Cashmeran — reflects the industry's challenge with natural woody materials. Many traditional wood sources face supply issues: Mysore sandalwood is critically endangered, Brazilian rosewood is CITES-restricted, and natural cedarwood oil quality varies dramatically by source. Synthetics solve the supply problem while offering olfactory precision that natural variability cannot guarantee.
Extraction & Chemistry
Extraction method: Entirely synthetic. Timberol is manufactured by chemical synthesis. Exact structure and pathway are proprietary. Typically a clear to pale yellow liquid with a dry, woody odor.
Molecular Formula
C15H24O
CAS Number
70788-30-6
Botanical Name
N/A — synthetic woody molecule (a Swiss fragrance house proprietary)
IFRA Status
No known restrictions
Synonyms
TIMBEROL · 2-PHENYL-4-METHYL-1-PENTANOL
Physical Properties
Odor Strength
Medium
Lasting Power
72 hours at 100.00%
Appearance
colorless to pale yellow clear liquid
Boiling Point
270.00 °C. @ 760.00 mm Hg
Flash Point
228.00 °F. TCC ( 109.00 °C. )
Specific Gravity
0.94500 to 0.95500 @ 25.00 °C.
Refractive Index
1.50200 to 1.51200 @ 20.00 °C.
In Perfumery
Timberol is a proprietary woody arom a chemical providing a clean, dry, cedarwood-type character with excellent diffusi on and transparency. It functions as a heart-to-base woody modifier, offering the structural warmth of sanded timber without the resinous sweetness of sandalwood or the camphoraceous edge of natural cedarwood oil. It belongs to the family of modern woody molecules alongside Iso E Super, Cashmeran, Georgywood, and Javanol, each offering a different quality of 'wood.' Timberol's specific contributi on is dryness and clarity — it reads as wood without decorati on. Useful in minimalist woody compositions, in transparent chypre structures, and as a woody backbone for citrus-aromatic fragrances where heavier wood materials would overwhelm the top notes.
