50's ROOTS of BLISS - 70 y.o single Sandalwoood tree distillation

Exceptional Santalum Album from the subtropical region of Japan, distilled in the spring of 2021, from the roots from a single tree circa 70 years old, planted in a multicentennial temple garden.

After the tree trunk and branches ritually harvested for incense in 2008, the root system stump (proportionally the richest in essential oil) remained in the ground for 12 years, thus ageing naturally in its terroir: a lush garden made local of varieties species of citrus, flowers and aromatic herbs within the temple (see little glimpse image), then widely surrounded by bamboo forest.

Such ageing was accidental (nobody distills at the temple : the monks make incense), but keeping root systems buried, and sometimes burying full trunks as well, was a well established wood curing tradition for both Sandalwood and Agarwood in mughal India and elsewhere, with different techniques and times.

The wood was cured dry for one year after harvesting the stump. It was then artisan distilled by a dear friend and extremely skilled distiller. Very slow low-temperature hydro-distillation over 10 days.

The olfactive experience
Exceptionally smooth, rich, and dense sandalwood oil with a complex but subtle character that reflects the unique terroir; background notes of peppercorns, lichens,  moss, ghee, cedar... and yuzu dance around the rich round sandalwood structure. No sharp edges, and no fermented note.

The Temple is surrounded by terraces, and the Sandal Tree grew around a Yuzu Orchard, where both the trees root system and the fallen fruits fell and fed the soil for more than a century. This is a fascinating entry into the workings of terroir, even if the yuzu note is discrete.

You would think from the smoothness and roundness of the aroma that this oil had been extensively aged although only distilled in the spring 2021. It was cured one year before starting to offer it for sale.

This oil will of course keep aging beautifully.