MAHISURU GOLD RESERVE - 2018 Premium Mysore Sandalwood oil [Santalum album]

In the world of sandalwood oils, "Mysore" is the established benchmark for classical Sandalwood profiles, and the most in-demand.

Distilled from South Indian Santalum album, it denotes a specific olfactive profile that is creamy, buttery, warm, slightly floral, had great santalol presence and longevity. And of course with different individual nuances and personalities within that profile family depedning on the raw material, the distillation apparatus and method, the curing, etc.

This oil has all the distinctive classical notes. It is deliciously soft and sweetly balsamic in its woodiness facet. It remains true to itself during all its unfolding (with an excellent longevity). 

The high quality heartwood used in this traditional copper hydro distillation does come from south Karnataka and has been distilled by a craft master in Northern India, using traditional techniques. This current batch was distilled in 2018 and has been cured to full bodied maturity.

The robe is very deep golden, the profile is profound, creamy, buttery, luminous, with delicate flowery and fruity notes dancing around, and a surprising but delicious mineral note.

This oil is clearly within the classic Mysore profile family, and doesn't express any of the so called "Terroir notes".(though Mysore is a terroir too, it has been the historical benchmark so, terroir notes usually describe deviations from the reference)

The ancient Mysore Kingdom in South Karnataka had its center at Mahishapura, the name later became Mahisūru (a name which the royal family still uses) and then Mysuru, the current name of the city. Mysore is the anglicized version.

A new batch (April 2022) of oil from the same artisan, produced with similar quality raw material, is currently curing and will be listed here in a few years (long curing transcends such oils), probably after this one runs out of stock.