In short
Javanol is Givaudan's sandalwood molecule, discovered in 1996. It is a powerful, creamy sandalwood note with rosy and milky facets.
What Javanol smells like
Fraterworks describes Javanol as rich, creamy sandalwood with rosy-floral facets and subtle milky-lactonic undertones, clean and powdery rather than heavy, and credits it as one of the closest synthetic approximations to beta-santalol. Scentspiracy adds transparent rosy facets and a fresh, sparkling, metallic grapefruit note in the top; Hekserij calls it creamy, woody and sweet, with a fruity floral side.
- Leading note
- Creamy sandalwood
- Clear facets
- Rosy
- Supporting facets
- Milky
- Faint facets
- Grapefruit
- Character
- Powerful, radiant
What makes Javanol distinctive
One of the closest synthetic approaches to beta-santalol: creamy, rosy sandalwood, clean rather than heavy.
How Javanol is used
Used to build sandalwood accords and, in traces, as a radiance booster in woody compositions.
Typical role: backbone (used in large proportions as a structural material of an accord); modifier (used in small amounts to change the character of a blend).
How Javanol differs from similar materials
- Bacdanol
- Bacdanol is creamier, sweeter and more gourmand; Javanol is cleaner and closer to the santalol of natural sandalwood.
Each difference compares the published descriptions of the two materials. Smell varies with grade, supplier and dilution; compare them side by side on blotters before substituting one for another.
Formulation considerations
Very powerful; suppliers advise low use levels and working from dilutions.
Identity and classification
- Type
- Aroma chemical
- Origin
- Synthetic
- Odour family
- Woody / Floral
- Note position
- Base note
- Physical form at room temperature
- Liquid
- Also known as
- Sandal cyclopropane
No CAS number is shown. The identity of Javanol is taken from documentation by Givaudan, Fraterworks, Scentspiracy; the CAS number they give appears in PubChem only on depositor substance records, not on the molecule's own compound record, so it is not published here as verified. Without a verified number there is no formula, molecular weight or structure drawing either.
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
-
Bacdanol
Aroma chemical · Woody / Floral — sandalwood, creamy, milky, rosy
-
Sandalwood Oil (Santalum album)
Essential oil · Woody / Musky — woody, creamy, milky, sweet
-
Iso E Super
Aroma chemical · Woody / Amber — woody, velvety, amber, cedar
Used in formulas and accords
Used in 17 published formulas
Javanol is an ingredient in 11 perfume formulas and 6 accords in the Formula & Accord Library.
Community formulas
RUŌOD House Originals
Original compositions by RUŌOD House.
Further reading
Questions about Javanol
Is Javanol natural or synthetic?
Javanol is synthetic — it is made by chemical synthesis.
Which published formulas use Javanol?
Javanol is used in 17 published formulas in the RUŌOD Lab Formula & Accord Library, including Agar Lantern, Ambrette Halo and Birch Ghost. Each is listed with a link under "Used in formulas and accords" on this page.
Sources
- Fraterworks — Javanol — distributor's description.
- Scentspiracy — Javanol — distributor's description.
- Hekserij — Javanol (Giv) — distributor's description.
- Olfactory profile: the RUŌOD Lab team's synthesis of the published descriptions above, reviewed 26 October 2026. Evidence: more than one published description. Classification and the short description: revision 1. Descriptions of odour are judgement, not measurement.