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Guest Post by Jordan River
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Hey there Perfume Junkies,
Don’t forget our Enchanted Forest GIVEAWAY <<<JUMP
Jordan River of The Fragrant Man has again got the hottest news, an Australian story that makes me very happy,
Portia xx
Mysore Sandalwood in Australia!
Santalum album is Mysore Sandalwood, now growing sustainably in Australia
Photo: J.M. Garb
It’s all Good News here at Australian Perfume Junkies.
The demise of Mysore Sandalwood from India is well documented. The root stock of the Mysore variety, Santalum album was planted in Australian plantations sometime ago and is now being sustainably harvested.
Australia does have a native sandalwood, Santalum spicatum, with an interesting scent profile but it is not as creamy or luscious as the Mysore variety. Now Australia has Mysore Sandalwood plantations.
I know Kafka will be thrilled and I suspect Bertand Duchaufour, the man who ate niche, has left India and is in Australia right now checking quality and shipping. Suzanne R. Banks will be glowing with happiness. I also predict a sighting of Neela Vermeire in Australia soon.
So how does Mysore Sandalwood grown in Austalia smell? And can you buy it? How does 1 gram for 55€ sound?
Let’s travel now to Italy to see what perfumer AdbesSalaam Attar has to say about this development.
Click link: The Return of Mysore Sandalwood
Addition: The largest grower in Australia, Tropical Forestry Services has a purpose built nursery with the capacity to produce over 500,000 Mysore stock seedlings per planting season. They have an astonishing 7,600 hectares of trees planted in the tropical north of Australia.
Further Reading
Brie’s historic encounter with Mysore Sandalwood
Suzanne on Australian Perfume Junkies
Amer on Sandalwood
Perfume Shrine – see comments section
The End of Oud – a similar situation to Mysore Sandalwood
Ecological Conscience – Ensar Oud on sustainability at Australian Perfume Junkies
Australian Perfume Junkies 
This is a fascinating topic, I studied aromatherapy and appreciate S Spicatum, but Mysore is another smoother animal. We have seen illegal and irresponsible poaching already here, and I so hope that this venture can be protected. And where can I get some???
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Hi Jackie,
Poaching
Where? In Australia you mean? Or are you in another country that is not India. I am shocked.
Where to buy – see the ‘click link’ above (after the word development)
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You are so connected to the world! Exciting story. Thanks for the mention I’m feelin a bit spesh x
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You are Very Spech. We will await your report.
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As a diehard lover of Mysore sandalwood (for an exceptional example of what it can add to a perfume, look no further than Neela Vermeire’s Trayee), this is just about the most stellar news I’ve read in, well, forever! Now, all we have to do is pray for those poor Aquilaria trees… ❤
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Trayee Trayee Trayee
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Great news! While I love the australian sandalwood I am looking forward to oil from the Australian grown S. Album. Thanks for the links and interesting info.
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Yes, I love the native one too. Serge used it well in Santal Majuscule but other perfume have not used it so well.
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I’m really glad that Santalum album is being sustainably grown in Australia, or at least that there’s an effort to do that. I’ve been using New Caledonian sandalwood (S australocaledonicum), which has a better fragrance than S spicatum. There is supposedly an effort in NC to grow this species sustainably, too. I look forward to one of these days being able to get some Santalum album that’s the real thing AND ethically harvested.
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Time will tell. Surely they are regrowing in Mysore, India as well? I think 50-60 year old trees give the best oil but early harvesting for young oil at 12 or 20 years gives us an immature scent.
They are calling the Mysore grown in Australia, Australian album to differentiate the terroir. When you smell this version we would love to know your thoughts. I will smell New Caledonian and appreciate the differerence. Thank you for sharing the information.
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Be still my beating heart 🙂
It really is wonderful to see work towards sustainability. There’s nothing else in the world like Mysore. I switched to using New Caledonian 2 years ago, and it’s nice, though not quite the same.
I am interested in the olfactory differences between the Australian album to the Mysore. It will be good to compare them side by side.
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Let us know your thoughts when you do. I can hear every beat of your heart.
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