Sri Lankan Sandalwood

Centuries ago monks in Sri Lankan temples burned sandalwood chips to cleanse ritual spaces, believing the scent carried prayers to the heavens. Trade records from the 16th century list Ceylon sandalwood among the most coveted exports, prized by European courts for its creamy warmth. During the colonial era, British planters introduced sandalwood to former tea estates, creating a new source that complemented the island’s spice economy. In the early 1900s, perfumers in Paris and London began to label their creations with “Ceylon sandalwood,” distinguishing it from Indian varieties that carried a sharper edge. Conservationists later warned that over‑harvesting threatened the species, prompting the government to impose strict quotas in the 1990s. Today, small family farms revive ancient planting methods, using copper degh stills that echo the techniques described in historic Sanskrit texts. The note remains a bridge between Sri Lanka’s spiritual heritage and modern fragrance art, its creamy aroma echoing the island’s rain‑kissed forests.