The Scent of Quintis
Coveted for centuries for its aromatic, medicinal and spiritual uses, Indian sandalwood is an iconic perfumery material. Rich in alpha and beta santalol, sandalwood oil's creamy, milky and woody facets offer a timelessness to fragrances in every market.
Our dedication to excellence has withstood the test of time. We utilise our knowledge, experience and innovative techniques to produce premium, sustainable, and 100% fully traceable Indian and Australian sandalwood oil and can customise blends to suit specific olfactory profiles.
Our Products
Experience our high quality Sandalwood Oil
We can supply you with samples of our products for your own testing.
The following documentation is available with each sample:
- Certificate of analysis
- Customer supply specifications
- Safety data sheet
- Specification sheet
- Traceability certificate
Request a sample
Indian Sandalwood Oil
King of the woods
Indian sandalwood (Santalum album), known as the “king of woods” for its perceived superiority in the sandalwood family, is identifiable by its signature odour: sweet, creamy and woody. It complements most fragrance families including florals, spices, musk’s and ambers. Compared to all other sandalwood, what makes Indian sandalwood the most unique is that it has the highest concentration of alpha and beta santalols, containing 70-90% of the compounds.
Indian sandalwood oil’s benefits extend beyond the nose - its concentrated alpha-santalol content exhibits therapeutic properties when absorbed through the skin.
Our oil is 100% pure and natural containing only oil distilled from Indian sandalwood heartwood.
Notes
Quintis Indian sandalwood oil delivers a striking woody base note and acts as a fixative to ensure the longevity of perfume on the skin.
Top note: Sweet, nutty and diffuse
Heart note: Lactonic, slight hay, woody, sweet
Base note: Woody, slightly spicy
Process
Gently steam-distilled in our Albany distillery.
Appearance
Sandalwood oil has a 'liquid gold' appearance - a clear, pale yellow to colourless slightly viscous liquid.
Santalols
Indian sandalwood contains the highest level of beta santalol compared to other species of sandalwood. The compound is believed to be the powerhouse behind Indian sandalwood’s fragrant properties. Alpha santalol is said to be responsible for the therapeutic nature of the oil and beta santalol gives Indian sandalwood its beautiful olfactory profile.
41–55% alpha santalol
16-24% beta santalol
Odour Profile
True sandalwood character, nuttiness sustained through the whole chord; dry-down is tenacious, sweet and woody.
Australian Sandalwood Oil
Native Prince
If Indian sandalwood is the king of woods, then Australian sandalwood (Santalum spicatum, Fusanus spicatus) is the prince. Australian sandalwood is native to semi-arid areas of Southwest Australia. It contains approximately 5-20% beta santalols, which gives it a distinct odour compared to Indian sandalwood.
We proudly work in collaboration with the Government of Western Australia’s Forest Products Commission (FPC) to ensure a sustainable and ethical supply of Australian sandalwood oil.
This oil is used primarily as a base in fragrance formulations.
Notes
Whilst retaining the classic woody base note synonymous with sandalwood, Australian sandalwood has a greener, fresher top note than its Indian counterpart.
Top note: Organic, sweet and diffuse
Heart note: Woody, slightly smoky and sweet
Base note: Warm and rich, balsamic and woody
Process
Gently steam-distilled in our Albany distillery.
Appearance
Sandalwood oil has a 'liquid gold' appearance - a clear, pale yellow to colourless slightly viscous liquid.
Santalols
15-25% alpha santalol
5-20% beta santalol
Odour Profile
Woody, sweet, and lactonic characteristics complement the warm and rich, slightly herbal fresh lift on top. It has a real sandalwood character through the whole chord, with a tenacious dry-down.
Benefits of Using Indian sandalwood in Fragrance
Natural Fixative
Indian sandalwood has a low vapour pressure which results in zero volatility at ambient conditions, this rare characteristic makes it a natural fixative. When other essential oils with high vapour pressure are blended with Indian sandalwood oil the overall acupressure and subsequent volatility creates an ideal sillage and longevity for fragrance.
| Essential Oil | Note | ° C | Minutes | Volatility Index at 25° C |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sandalwood | Base | 142 | 46 | 0 |
| Patchouli | Base | 107 | 28.5 | 4 |
| Geranium | Heart | 95 | 22.5 | 90 |
| Orange | Top | 67 | 8.5 | 970 |
Sophisticated Olfactory Profile
Sandalwood’s molecular structure is unique amongst perfumery’s woody notes. Sesquiterpenes alpha santalol and beta santalol are largely responsible for sandalwood’s fragrance.
Delicate and milky, yet robust and woody; sandalwood is the essential ingredient perfumers use to express a kaleidoscope of emotions and complements most fragrances families including florals, spices, musk's and ambers.
Functional Fragrance
The benefits of sandalwood extend beyond being a wonderful scent. Sandalwood has been used for thousands of years to calm the mind and relieve anxiety. Studies show that the alpha santalol in sandalwood oil calms the nervous system when inhaled or applied topically.
Sustainable Sandalwood
Our oils are high quality and 100% natural. We don’t use growth hormones or artificial stimulants to stimulate heartwood or oil production, and we don’t genetically modify our products. We have a full chain of custody and a fully traceable process.
Innovative Distillation
Quintis distils both Indian and Australian sandalwood oils at our distillation facility in Albany, Western Australia.
To enhance our production efficiency and reduce our carbon footprint, Quintis developed and launched a purpose-built Continuous Steam Distillation (CSD) plant in 2021. The CSD plant is now fully automated with ground-breaking technology patented in Australia and China.
The Process
In the Continuous Steam Distillation process, a conveyor system transports chips into the top of the unit where the distillation process starts. The chips are continuously fed and we are able to be 100% efficient with steam use due to the counter current flow of steam verses wood through the system. The spent charge (chip after steam distillation) is removed from the bottom of the unit allowing the distillation to be continuous.
This process has allowed us to become more efficient with A grade sandalwood now taking two days to distil instead of nine. With the ability to produce four times more oil with the same volume of steam, we have reduced Quintis’ water and energy requirements by an astonishing 75%.
Customised Olfactory Profile
Drawing on two decades of experience, we have created a range of oils with different olfactory profiles via unique blending and processing methods. Our distillation facility includes an on-site laboratory. Here our team of expert chemists employ fractional analysis and analytic chemistry methods to create oils to your exact specifications.
Our team will work closely with you to provide an olfactory profile of your preference.
Natural vs Synthetic
Multi-faceted and versatile, natural sandalwood is irreplaceable by synthetics due to its chemical intricacies and unique molecular structure.
Indian sandalwood possesses over 125 chemical compounds which cannot be replicated by artificial synthesis.
“We let nature do her job and she supplies us with a complex, multifaceted, bioactive ingredient which synthetic materials simply cannot replicate.” Explains Dr Danny Hettiarahchi, Quintis Sandalwoods Technical Product Specialist.
“Synthetics are like a single note played from a single instrument, whereas Indian sandalwood oil has the effect of a symphony played by an orchestra”
Dr Danny Hettiarachchi, Technical Product Specialist
Samples & Testing
We can supply you with samples of our products for your own testing.
The following documentation is available with each sample:
CERTIFICATE OF ANALYSIS
CUSTOMER SUPPLY SPECIFICATIONS
SAFETY DATA SHEET
SPECIFICATION SHEET
TRACEABILITY CERTIFICATE
Certifications
Quintis produce the highest quality oils based on over 20 years’ distillation experience.
We have obtained over 20 Australian and international certifications and our oils meet strict British Pharmacopeia and International Fragrance Association standards. Our certifications testify that our vertically integrated process delivers to the highest standard.
Learn more about Quintis
Discover our unique approach to sandalwood and the benefits of this sacred tree.
