In short
Atlas cedarwood oil is distilled from Cedrus atlantica, a true cedar from Morocco. It is warmer, sweeter and more balsamic than Virginia cedarwood.
What Cedarwood Oil (Atlas) smells like
Atlas cedarwood oil, from the true cedar of the Atlas mountains, has a slightly camphoraceous-cresylic top note with a sweet, tenacious woody undertone reminiscent of cassie and mimosa, in a monograph's description; a vendor finds it woody and sweet, sharper than Virginian cedarwood, balsamic, with a faint mothball-like hint. It is closely related to Himalayan cedarwood and is the sweeter of the two.
- Leading note
- Sweet balsamic cedar
- Supporting facets
- Camphoraceous-cresylic, balsamic
- Faint facets
- Mimosa, cassie
- Character
- Warm, sweet, tenacious
What makes Cedarwood Oil (Atlas) distinctive
The true cedar: sweet and balsamic, with a mimosa-like softness under a sharp top.
How Cedarwood Oil (Atlas) is used
Used as a woody base in oriental, woody, fougère and chypre compositions.
Typical role: backbone (used in large proportions as a structural material of an accord); fixative (slow to evaporate; helps a blend last and holds lighter notes).
How Cedarwood Oil (Atlas) differs from similar materials
- Cedarwood Oil (Himalayan)
- Himalayan is a close relative, drier and less sweet; Atlas is the sweeter of the two. (compared directly by a cited source)
- Cedarwood Oil (Virginia)
- Virginia, a juniper, is the drier pencil wood; Atlas is sweeter and more balsamic, with a sharper top. (compared directly by a cited source)
An asterisk marks a difference that a cited source states directly. The others compare the published descriptions of each material. Smell varies with grade, supplier and dilution; compare them side by side on blotters before substituting one for another.
Formulation considerations
Distinct from Virginia cedarwood both botanically and in odour; label records precisely.
Identity and classification
- Type
- Essential oil
- Origin
- Natural
- Odour family
- Woody / Amber
- Note position
- Base note
- Physical form at room temperature
- Liquid
- Also known as
- Cedrus atlantica oil
- Botanical source
- Cedrus atlantica (Endl.) Manetti ex Carrière
- CAS number
- 92201-55-3
The CAS number was checked on 19 October 2026 against a PubChem substance record that gives it for this material. A natural material is a mixture, so it has no single formula; its composition varies with origin and processing.
Safety and compliance
This page is general information, not a safety assessment or a specification. Confirm identity, composition, IFRA status and allergen content from your supplier's documents for the lot you hold.
Materials it works with
-
Cedarwood Oil (Virginia)
Essential oil · Woody / Aromatic — woody, dry, pencil shavings, clean
-
Labdanum Absolute
Absolute · Amber / Leather — amber, balsamic, leathery, animalic
-
Patchouli Oil
Essential oil · Woody / Chypre — earthy, woody, camphoraceous, dark
-
Cedarwood Oil (Himalayan)
Essential oil · Woody — woody, sweet, balsamic, dry
Used in formulas and accords
Used in 16 published formulas
Cedarwood Oil (Atlas) is an ingredient in 16 perfume formulas in the Formula & Accord Library.
RUŌOD House Originals
Original compositions by RUŌOD House.
Further reading
Questions about Cedarwood Oil (Atlas)
Is Cedarwood Oil (Atlas) natural or synthetic?
Cedarwood Oil (Atlas) is natural. It is a volatile oil obtained from plant material by steam distillation or, for citrus peels, by cold expression.
What is the CAS number of Cedarwood Oil (Atlas)?
92201-55-3, the registry number for the essential oil as a substance rather than a single molecule. It was checked against PubChem on 19 October 2026.
Which published formulas use Cedarwood Oil (Atlas)?
Cedarwood Oil (Atlas) is used in 16 published formulas in the RUŌOD Lab Formula & Accord Library, including Apple Cellar, Beeswax Throne and Birch Ghost. Each is listed with a link under "Used in formulas and accords" on this page.
Sources
- PubChem — substance 135308953, checked 19 October 2026.
- Salvatore Battaglia — Atlas cedarwood monograph — published perfumery reference.
- Bulk Apothecary — Cedarwood (Atlas) essential oil — distributor's description.
- Olfactory profile: the RUŌOD Lab team's synthesis of the published descriptions above, reviewed 21 October 2026. Evidence: more than one published description. Classification and the short description: revision 1. Descriptions of odour are judgement, not measurement.