Synthetic Woods
Despite the attempts of the most talented perfumers, say nothing of the trial-and-error fumbling of lesser folk such as myself, the smells of sandalwood and other natural woods are very hard if not impossible to duplicate. As you can see here, a considerable number of synthetics and naturals have been brought to bear on this problem. I’ve put the first mention of each synthetic in bold to make them easier to spot and recognize.
The best-recognized synthetics for woody aromas have been around for years. Vetiveryl acetate has a clean vetiver-like intensity and ties together with other older synthetics such as cedryl acetate, cedrol, and vetiverol.
In the last 40 years, however, a wide variety of woody synthetics has cropped up. While many of them are “captives” (only available to major perfume houses), I’ve still been able to track down a large number, each with its own nuances.
Arcadi Boix Camps, in his book Perfumery: Techniques in Evolution, describes many of them. Palisandin, he says as has an odor of cedar and musk, with undertones of ambrette seed. In any case, this aroma chemical is delicate and slow to become perceptible. I hate to admit it, but he perceives more than I do.
Andrane, has a precious wood dimension that’s similar to patchouli. It is interesting when combined with patchouli or when it’s used in place of patchouli.
One of the most important innovations of recent years was the discovery of methyl cedryl ketone, or vertofix Coeur. It has a delightful smell of cedar that makes itself present without taking over. It goes well with methyl ionones, irones, ionones (especially allyl ionone). It sometimes seems a bit weak, but cedramber goes a long way to strengthen it.
I find cedramber to be sweet and balsamic and a bit like patchouli. ABC describes it as being between amber and patchouli and says it goes well with undecylenic aldehyde (C-11), cyclamen aldehyde, lyral, lillial and others. One of cedramber’s attributes is its ability to pull back the sweetness of a perfume that might otherwise be cloying. ABC describes an accord of ciste-labdanum (the absolute and the oil), nutmeg essential oil, pachouli, Vertofix, musk ketone, castoreum absolute, isobutyl quinoline, isoeugenol, glycolierral, benzyl salicylate, centifoyl and vanillin. I haven’t tried it yet.
Isolongifolanone has a lovely bright woody quality. ABC describes it has “having immense olfactory value” and says that it plays a role in both the top note and base notes of a composition. It definitely adds radiance.
Timberol, also called norlimbanol, is one of the most important woody chemicals we have today. It enters into a huge number of fragrances and, according to ABC, “…brings and gives character, elegance and harmonizes well with everything…” It goes well with musk chemicals.
Perhaps most revolutionary is iso e super. It has a woody character, but it goes well with ionones and methyl ionones and just about anything. It occurs frequently in both feminine and masculine fragrances. It makes up part of the Grossman accord. ABC says it goes well with quinolines, amber and castoreum.
Sandela is a sandalwood aroma chemical that enters into almost all sandalwood accords as a fixative. Its aroma is delicate and difficult for me to tease out. ABC insists that it be used in any sandalwood accord as a fixative.
Santalol (of which there are two isomers), is the main component that gives sandalwood its aroma. Unfortunately, it is almost as expensive as an excellent quality of sandalwood. I use it rather abundantly in Green Iris.
Sandalore, according to ABC, “…has a sweet, warm, strong, woody, santalaceous odor which is immediately perceived on the blotter and has a top note power about 50% greater than the essential oil of sandalwood although it doesn’t last as long.” It is effective in even trace quantities. It can be combined with allyl ionone, isobutylquinoline, gamma-undecalactone, miraldile acetate, fixolide, vanillin and ethyl vanillin.
Two important sandalwood chemicals, bacdanol and brahmanol, are sometimes used to replace santalol in a sandalwood formula. They “are olfactively related to the naturally occurring cis-B-santalol, but they are more powerful and more musky, lacking the outstanding floral character of the natural chemical.”
Polywood is used to “…enhance the macrocyclic musk and radiant products without imparting a specific character, but give volume and quality.”
Oxyoctaline formate is delicate, but has a particular floral radiance that makes it useful in any number of fine fragrances.
Okoumal is not as powerful as other woody chemicals, but it is soft and makes an excellent fixative.
Tobacarol is another of ABC’s favorites. He describes it as “…warm, woody and spicy, with notes of clove, mace and nutmeg, ambery, tobacco and others.” It works extremely well with citrus notes, in particular, lime. He describes its usefulness as a fixative and to provide body to a fragrance. He suggests a couple of accords, but most of what he calls for is unobtainable by ordinary mortals. Tobacoral can be used in fragrances up to 10%.
Hydroxyambran “…works extremely well with the limbanols, okoumal, and tobacarol. It provides body and fixation…”
Spirambrene resembles bois ambreine forte, orlimbanol, cedroxyde and cedramber. According to ABC, it imparts velvety nuances to woods.
Ebanol has a strong, distinctly sandalwood aroma that seems to enter into every sandalwood formula. ABC warns that it must be fresh or it develops off aromas.
ABC describes polysantol as one of the best sandalwood chemicals available. It apparently has a fruity nuance (hard for me to detect) that’s missing in sandalwood. He extols blends with firsantol because firsantol doesn’t have the fruity note and blocks it in the polysantol. He suggests an accord with ebanol, bacdanol, brahmanol, blue chamomile and sandela. He always includes sandela in his sandalwood accords because it is such a great fixative.
Firsantol is related to polysantol, but it’s dryer and doesn’t have the fruity note. ABC says it’s one of the best sandalwood chemicals around.
Koavone is less a sandalwood chemical than a floral-woody compound. It smells to me like methyl ionone and woods. ABC says it provides lift to top notes when methyl ionones or iso e super are used. I use it to provide a link between woods and florals.
Dihydro ionone beta has been around a long time and has just recently been widely rediscovered. It reminds me a bit of orris and ionones. It has a woody and floral character that adds sophistication, elegance and beauty to blends.
Kohinool is another of ABC’s favorites. He says it forms a “dream accord” with iso e super. Kohinool is both woody and floral so it’s less a sandalwood chemical than a compound occurring in any number of fragrances. Combinations ABC suggests include iso e super, kohinool, cedroxyde, norlimbanol, boisanol (which I don’t have), trimofix and amber ketal.
I recently acquired a small bottle of mysoral, which has been captive for years. Of all my sandalwood chemicals, this one smells the most of sandalwood. ABC describes it as being resinous and likes to combine it with frankincense from Oman or Somalia. He describes a couple of complicated accords containing frankincense, helvetolide, coranol, cashmeran, pink pepper, cetalox, tuberose absolute, osmanthus, ebanol, alpha-damascone, gamma decalactone, ethylene brassylate, ethyl vanillin. He mentions that javanol and mysoral are especially synergistic.
If I had only one chemical to use as a substitute for sandalwood (other than beta santalol), it would be javanol. It has the most realistic note of sandalwood. I like simply to combine it with sandalwood, to bring up the sandalwood’s aroma. ABC’s only complaint seems to be that it lacks a natural top note. He likes to combine it with mysoral.
Dartanol is the laevo isomer of bacdanol. ABC says it’s better than bacdanol. He says it’s similar, but more beautiful, more radiant, and possessing a more natural sandalwood character. I concur; dartanol is smoother than bacdanol.
Polysantol, while woody, has a distinct fruity top note. ABC suggests an accord with bacdanol, ebanol, brahmanol, blue chamomile, and sandela. He also likes its accords with firsantol, in part because it obscures the fruity note in the polysantol.
Hindinol definitely has a top note. It hits you over the head, in fact, with a boozy lead-in that ends in a smooth, woody background. ABC loves it