Article: Sandalwood Dreams, Part 8: Uses and Markets

[Jordan River]

Article: Sandalwood Dreams, Part 8: Uses and Markets + Sandalwood Oil Giveaway

You can view the page at http://www.basenotes.net/content/1899-Sandalwood-Dreams-Part-8

 

[davidcontact]

Re: Article: Sandalwood Dreams, Part 8: Uses and Markets + Sandalwood Oil Giveaway

I am loving this website more and more. I heard horrible stories about sandalwood and how it harvest and sol so I am glad to read the following

"After blending and pouring into large drums or small flacons a Certificate of Analysis is logged to the batch number. This means that the final analysis of the oil is traceable back to each plantation. A legal, traceable and transparent supply chain from soil to oil."

Happy holidays all

 

[paimutan]

This was an excellent crash course in understanding sandalwood production. I was particularly awestruck reading that even the stumps are ripped from the ground, for their yield of oil!

 

[mahboub]

I've been following the bits and pieces of information about Australian Santalum album, so your series was timely and topical. Such a wealth of information you have provided.

I heard that Santalum album may have been indiginous to the Australian continent and that these plantations in the tropical north are a sort of home coming for the species. I love the native Australian spicatum and have an assortment of Mysore sandalwoods including several antique examples I've collected as well as tiny samples from the late 90's before the crisis. I would love to see how this recent extraction compares. I'm sure aging will help the oil mellow.

I really enjoyed learning about the process of extraction. The low yield, 3.7% is not surprising and will probably increase as the trees mature into their 3rd decade. I also appreciate the effort Tropical Forestry Services is making to eliminate waste in all aspects of production and offer a product that is traceable to the plantation, from soil to oil. That is setting a new standard for world production of key perfumery ingredients.

Thank you for this great series!

 

[woodgirl]

I was surprised to learn that the trees are ready to begin harvesting. I thought it would take more years of growth. Thanks for the draw.

 

[Renegade]

Interesting that different batches of oils are blended together for a more consistent odour profile. I thought they'd just blend everything together. Does this mean that some amount of oil is left behind?

Also, I wonder if any of the Australian Santalum Album trees will be allowed to reach their full maturity before being harvested? Maybe this way they could offer a superior grade of oil in addition to the regular one (assuming an older tree would give a superior oil - maybe not?).

 

[kantofox]

I was very interested to learn that the spot price of Australian album was higher than it's Mysore counterpart, but I would suppose that it being a new crop the demand would ultimately be much higher. compared though to the options I find it surprising that Album still commands such high prices especially with austrocaledonicum having more of the sandal woody constituents such as a-santalol which is what gives the it, it's creamyness.

 

[ryanvars]

I'm really surprised by the cost of Sandalwood and that, "Over the past 15 years the price has increased on a compound basis by 16 % per annum."

I would like to see more efforts at sustainability and even highlighting a few locations that are getting it right like this:
http://www.thesummitvanuatu.com/sourcing-sandalwood-oil-vanuatu/

 

[Azar]

Hi Jordan,
I learned so many things from this series. I would say that I was most surprised by the fact that nothing is wasted in production. Also, that Italian stump and root pulling machine was something I've never seen before!
Azar

 

[Jordan88888888]

Re: Article: Sandalwood Dreams, Part 8: Uses and Markets + Sandalwood Oil Giveaway

I am loving this website more and more. I heard horrible stories about sandalwood and how it harvest and sol so I am glad to read the following

"After blending and pouring into large drums or small flacons a Certificate of Analysis is logged to the batch number. This means that the final analysis of the oil is traceable back to each plantation. A legal, traceable and transparent supply chain from soil to oil."

Happy holidays all

Happy Holidays to you too David. I like the traceable chain. You are in the draw.

 

[Jordan88888888]

Re: Article: Sandalwood Dreams, Part 8: Uses and Markets + Sandalwood Oil Giveaway

This was an excellent crash course in understanding sandalwood production. I was particularly awestruck reading that even the stumps are ripped from the ground, for their yield of oil!

It was a crash course for me too. Fascinating to research. We were awestruck by the same things. Into the hat goes your good name Paimutan.

 

[Jordan88888888]

Re: Article: Sandalwood Dreams, Part 8: Uses and Markets + Sandalwood Oil Giveaway

I've been following the bits and pieces of information about Australian Santalum album, so your series was timely and topical. Such a wealth of information you have provided.

I heard that Santalum album may have been indiginous to the Australian continent and that these plantations in the tropical north are a sort of home coming for the species. I love the native Australian spicatum and have an assortment of Mysore sandalwoods including several antique examples I've collected as well as tiny samples from the late 90's before the crisis. I would love to see how this recent extraction compares. I'm sure aging will help the oil mellow.

I really enjoyed learning about the process of extraction. The low yield, 3.7% is not surprising and will probably increase as the trees mature into their 3rd decade. I also appreciate the effort Tropical Forestry Services is making to eliminate waste in all aspects of production and offer a product that is traceable to the plantation, from soil to oil. That is setting a new standard for world production of key perfumery ingredients.

Thank you for this great series!

And thank you for reading Mahboub. Yes it is all about the aging after getting this far. How about a photo of your vintage oils? I like different ones on each wrist to enjoy the nuances. You are in with a grin for the draw.

 

[Jordan88888888]

Re: Article: Sandalwood Dreams, Part 8: Uses and Markets + Sandalwood Oil Giveaway

I was surprised to learn that the trees are ready to begin harvesting. I thought it would take more years of growth. Thanks for the draw.

Ah, yes Woodgirl. As this is a commercial operation the date of harvesting is maximized for yield. It is likely though that some trees will be left to mature to see what the oil yield difference is - don't quote me on that though as it is an assumption. All the best to you for the draw that you are now in.

 

[grabuge]

I highly doubted that the genetics of Santalum Album would prove sufficient to yield the 'Mysore' aromatic profile from Australian soil, water, light...

Thanks to the Australians for proving me wrong.

And thanks to Jordan and TFS for the draw!

 

[Jordan88888888]

Re: Article: Sandalwood Dreams, Part 8: Uses and Markets + Sandalwood Oil Giveaway

Interesting that different batches of oils are blended together for a more consistent odour profile. I thought they'd just blend everything together. Does this mean that some amount of oil is left behind?

Also, I wonder if any of the Australian Santalum Album trees will be allowed to reach their full maturity before being harvested? Maybe this way they could offer a superior grade of oil in addition to the regular one (assuming an older tree would give a superior oil - maybe not?).

Hmm, I do not have the facts on that. Maybe there is low-grade oil with less alpha and beta sanatol that is not commercially available. There are other elements as well as those two that perfumers look for to achieve various results.

As for harvesting; a good question which I have commented on in the comment before your one. Furthermore, In Part 4 it does say that a 50-year old tree would only yield slightly more than 3 to 3.7% oil but presumably this would also effect the oil quality. Still I think these very organised people would have optimized the quality to age of tree when they made the date-of-harvest decision. O, and you are so in the draw Renegade!

 

[Jordan88888888]

Re: Article: Sandalwood Dreams, Part 8: Uses and Markets + Sandalwood Oil Giveaway

I was very interested to learn that the spot price of Australian album was higher than it's Mysore counterpart, but I would suppose that it being a new crop the demand would ultimately be much higher. compared though to the options I find it surprising that Album still commands such high prices especially with austrocaledonicum having more of the sandal woody constituents such as a-santalol which is what gives the it, it's creamyness.

Ah, Kantofox, I think that is because this oil is actually available while the Mysore is not available at all except for vintage vats held by perfumers. I know what you mean though with Supply and Demand Economics.

Santalum austrocaledonicum is more woody than Mysore but yes it still has the sought-after creaminess and is much much smoother than Santalum spicatum which is the native Australian variety. However as the S austocaledonicum does have have vast plantations on the level of this new enterprise I would imagine that has an effect on price or maybe the demand from perfumers varies. You can let us know if you win the draw that you are now in.

 

[Jordan88888888]

Re: Article: Sandalwood Dreams, Part 8: Uses and Markets + Sandalwood Oil Giveaway

Hi Jordan,
I learned so many things from this series. I would say that I was most surprised by the fact that nothing is wasted in production. Also, that Italian stump and root pulling machine was something I've never seen before!
Azar

Much nicer than an oil-rig drill! I often wonder what happens to the vacuum left under the earth or sea by the extraction of petroleum oil. Whoops, off topic. Your Persian name is flying into the draw. Thank you for reading Azar.

 

[Jordan88888888]

Re: Article: Sandalwood Dreams, Part 8: Uses and Markets + Sandalwood Oil Giveaway

I highly doubted that the genetics of Santalum Album would prove sufficient to yield the 'Mysore' aromatic profile from Australian soil, water, light...

Thanks to the Australians for proving me wrong.

And thanks to Jordan and TFS for the draw!

Well Grabuge you are not the only one who had doubts on this experiment which has now become a major commercial operation. There must be thousands of Indian people who are even more surprised at the success of the oil profile. Hopefully they are glad too that this oil is now sustainable and available. It is all about the chronograph analysis and then your own nose. Or maybe the other way around! You can let us know your reaction if you win the draw. This oil is young and it is an ingredient not a perfume so as long as that all makes sense I hope you have a chance to make your own mind up.

 

[Jordan88888888]

Re: Article: Sandalwood Dreams, Part 8: Uses and Markets + Sandalwood Oil Giveaway

I'm really surprised by the cost of Sandalwood and that, "Over the past 15 years the price has increased on a compound basis by 16 % per annum."

I would like to see more efforts at sustainability and even highlighting a few locations that are getting it right like this:
http://www.thesummitvanuatu.com/sourcing-sandalwood-oil-vanuatu/

Peace Ryanvars. Thank you for adding to the conversation with the link which I am off to read now. But first let's put you in the draw.

 

[DuNezDeBuzier]

Thank you for this very interesting series on Australian santalum album Mr. Jordan.

Reading my way through, I could not help but notice the similarities between the plight of Sandalwood - Santalum album out of the mysore area of India and Agarwood/Oud - Aquilaria malaccensis out of India and southeast Asia.

Would you know (and be able to share) whether TFS has entertained the cultivation/inoculation of agarwood/oud for commercial harvesting in anyway similar to its efforts with Santalum Album in Australia?