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White Meranti

Q: Is White Meranti natural or synthetic?

. Extraction: No commercial essential oil or absolute from Shorea species. The wood's volatile compounds are minimal. The note is reconstructed from light woody and faintly balsamic materials..

GREENS, HERBS AND FOUGERES / woody · green · fresh

White Meranti

Category	GREENS, HERBS AND FOUGERES
Subcategory	woody · green · fresh
Origin
Volatility	Heart Note
Botanical	Shorea bracteolata
Appearance	Pale yellow to amber resinous liquid
Odor Strength	Medium
Producing Countries	Indonesia, Malaysia
Pyramid	Heart

Light, balsamic-woody, faintly resinous. A Southeast Asian tropical timber — lighter and less aromatic than teak or sandalwood, with a pale, quiet character.

Scent
The Full Story
Fun Fact
Extraction & Chemistry
In Perfumery

Scent

Light, balsamic-woody, with a faint resinous undertone. Less aromatic than cedarwood, less creamy than sandalwood, paler and quieter than most perfumery woods. A neutral tropical timber character — the smell of a lumber yard in the tropics. Warm, slightly sweet, and unremarkable.

Evolution over time

Immediately

Faint balsamic-woody quality, light and neutral

After a few hours

Warm, pale woody softness

After a few days

Barely perceptible woody residue

The Full Story

White meranti refers to several species of Shorea (Dipterocarpaceae), a genus of tropical hardwood trees native to Southeast Asia. Meranti is a commercially important tropical timbers, used for plywood, furniture, and construction. The 'white' designation refers to lighter-colored species.

The wood has a mild, balsamic-woody scent — less aromatic than sandalwood or cedarwood, with a faint resinous quality from the dammar-type resins in the Dipterocarpaceae family. The scent is quiet, pale, and unremarkable compared to more prized aromatic timbers.

In perfumery, white meranti is a niche reference to tropical timber — evoking sawmills, lumber yards, and the specific woody character of Southeast Asian forests. It provides a neutral, pale wood note distinct from the dark richness of oud or the creaminess of sandalwood.

This note in Première Peau. Simili Mirage · Gravitas Capitale. Sample all seven extraits in the Discovery Set.

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Related: Acronychia Pedunculata · Adoxal · Agave · Algae · Aloe Vera · Aromatic Notes · Asparagus · Avocado

Did You Know?

Did you know?

Shorea species produce dammar resin, one of the lightest and most transparent natural resins. Dammar has been used for varnishes, incense, and food glazing (it is the resin traditionally used to coat batik prints in Javanese textile art).

Extraction & Chemistry

Extraction method: No commercial essential oil or absolute from Shorea species. The wood's volatile compounds are minimal. The note is reconstructed from light woody and faintly balsamic materials.

Molecular Formula	Complex mixture (dammarane-type triterpenoids)
CAS Number	N/A — no standard CAS for meranti resin
Botanical Name	Shorea bracteolata
IFRA Status	No known restrictions
Synonyms	MERANTI · SHOREA · BALAU
Physical Properties
Odor Strength	Medium
Appearance	Pale yellow to amber resinous liquid

In Perfumery

White meranti is a conceptual woody note used in tropical-timber and carpenter-workshop compositions. No commercial essential oil exists. Approximated using light woody materials, faint balsamic-resinous notes, and pale-wood synthetics. Functions as a neutral woody background element, less particular than most named wood notes.