Isolongifolanone has a lovely bright woody quality. ABC describes it has “having immense olfactory value” and says that it plays a role in both the top note and base notes of a composition. It definitely adds radiance.
Timberol, also called norlimbanol, is one of the most important woody chemicals we have today. It enters into a huge number of fragrances and, according to ABC, “…brings and gives character, elegance and harmonizes well with everything…” It goes well with musk chemicals.
Perhaps most revolutionary is iso e super. It has a woody character, but it goes well with ionones and methyl ionones and just about anything. It occurs frequently in both feminine and masculine fragrances. It makes up part of the Grossman accord. ABC says it goes well with quinolines, amber and castoreum.
Sandela is a sandalwood aroma chemical that enters into almost all sandalwood accords as a fixative. Its aroma is delicate and difficult for me to tease out. ABC insists that it be used in any sandalwood accord.
Santalol (of which there are more than one isomers), is the main component that gives sandalwood its aroma. Unfortunately, it is almost as expensive as an excellent quality of sandalwood. I use it rather abundantly in Green Iris.
Sandalore, according to ABC, “…has a sweet, warm, strong, woody, santalaceous odor which is immediately perceived on the blotter and has a top note power about 50% greater than the essential oil of sandalwood although it doesn’t last as long.” It is effective in even trace quantities. It can be combined with allyl ionone, isobutylquinoline, gamma-undecalactone, miraldile acetate, fixolide, vanillin and ethyl vanillin.
Two important sandalwood chemicals, bacdanol and brahmanol, are sometimes used to replace santalol in a sandalwood formula. They “are olfactively related to the naturally occurring cis-B-santalol, but they are more powerful and more musky, lacking the outstanding floral character of the natural chemical.” (ABC)
Polywood is used to “…enhance the macrocyclic musk and radiant products without imparting a specific character, but give volume and quality.”
Oxyoctaline formate is delicate and has a particular floral radiance that makes it useful in any number of fine fragrances.