Overview: Sandalwood Essential Oil Indian is derived from the heartwood of sandalwood trees grown in the southern parts of the Western Ghats, primarily in Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and the Konkan region of Maharashtra. The trees in the Marayoor forest region in Kerala and the forest regions of Mysore are highly regarded for their quality. Sandalwood trees grown in wild, rain shadow regions are considered the best. Government regulations strictly control the trade, permitting the use of fallen trees or those grown in designated reserves for oil production. These are auctioned by the government and later used for distillation.

The heartwood starts developing at 15 years but matures at around 60 years, with 25 years being the ideal age for cutting. While commonly known as sandalwood essential oil, there are various grades based on the wood part used for distillation. All parts of the tree except the leaves are usable, but the oil from the aged heartwood, also known as Vilayat Budha Class, is considered the best and is preferred for boutique perfumery. There are 15 different grades for sandalwood, with the top-class known as Vilayat Budha Class, which was historically used to make Buddha statues. The grading continues with Chinna Budha (small Buddha), pancham, Gotla, Gat badiya, Bagradad, First-class root, Second-class root, Third-class root, Jaypogal, Cheriya, Mixed chips, Sawdust, Sapwood Billets, and Sapwood with Bark chips. Therefore, it’s crucial to obtain oil produced from the right part of the tree.

Although sandalwood is also produced in Australia, New Caledonia, Indonesia, etc., Indian sandalwood is considered the benchmark standard due to its high santalol content and unique smell. India alone requires 2000 metric tonnes of sandalwood annually, but the production falls below 100 metric tonnes. This indicates that the majority of sandalwood oil in circulation is not pure. We supply certified 100% pure and natural top-end sandalwood oil produced from the Vilayat Budha class, which is tested and packed in France and complies with FEMA and FDA guidelines for flavouring.