Genuine “sacred sandalwood” - The story of “Zen One” - one very special tree!

There’s a lot of talk about “sacred sandalwood”. What makes a sandalwood sacred? This kind of designation is often pretty abstract, but very simply its the very best sandalwood in terms of overall quality and aroma, but also grown and processed in a religious or spiritual setting with careful reverence and attention to detail in every regard. The scent of the final product is the real measure of course. So what is it about the scent of the very best sandalwood that makes us feel its sacred? Why is it considered sacred in so many religions and spiritual traditions around the world? I believe that when a natural substance possesses the properties of providing pleasure, a sense of peace, and real healing of both the body and the mind; it tends to be considered sacred by those who encounter it. The physical healing and psychoactive properties of sandalwood are very well documented. (for now you can explore these in detail with a quick online search, but at later date, we will be providing a complete listing of actual references to studies and scientific articles.) And of course, the very best sandalwood will have greater potency in every aforementioned regard.

We could get technical here and get into the chemistry of what qualifies as genuine sacred sandalwood worthy of the designation. Sure you can absolutely measure what makes a superlative sandalwood oil with chemical analysis, but today I’m just here to tell the story of one very special tree that has all the hallmarks of true and traditional sacred sandalwood. Terroir, growing conditions, age of the tree, provenance, purity, extraction, and ageing.

An incredibly lucky find in the garden of a 600+year-old Zen temple in southern Japan. I have had a personal connection to this temple since 2006 and it has been my “spiritual home” ever since. It is where I first started meditation practice and I have maintained a relationship with them ever since spending more than 2 years of my life there in total.

The tree was a gift. The roots of the tree were failing in the very rocky terrain of the ancient Zen garden in which it grew for more than a century. We know for sure that the tree is over 100 years old because of photos and memories, but the exact age is unknown.

When trees like this are harvested in Japan, already an increasingly rare event, they tend to be made into fine incense as is the culture in Japan, rather than essential oil. What an opportunity to obtain this tree for distillation! Because of the very rocky terrain and thin soil this tree grew in, its growth was challenged and it suffered a dwarfing effect, a stunting of its growth that is known to intensify and concentrate the oil the tree produces.

The first distillation of ZEN ONE was at Aroma Sublime headquarters in Vietnam in January 2020. The simplest approach to make this happen? 10 kilos of the main trunk in my suitcase!
Problem solved. This also ended up being my first solo distillation experience, but with Tony and Tha’s close guidance and mentorship. It was on the Lamborghini of custom made stills, Tony’s massive teardrop shaped copper beauty. 8 days later we knew it was all worth it!

About the oil...
ZEN ONE - Japanese Sacred Sandalwood essential oil, Oita prefecture, Kyushu, Japan
single-tree, over 100 years old, from 600-year-old Zen temple garden.
species: Santalum album
part used: heartwood of main trunk, aged 3 years before distillation.
vintage: January 2020 in-house low-temperature hydro-distillation lasting 8 days.

The scent of ZEN ONE is dense and intense; clean, spicy and invigorating but without being sharp or camphorous. Its pure sandalwood glory all the way through, but with some unique features that reflect the very special terroir. Most notably, the outset features a surprising full medley of peppercorns; fresh green peppercorns, resinous and rich gourmet black peppercorn, scintillating pink, and fresh pungent long pepper. You will also notice a prominent sustained cedar note from outset to heart, as the early spiciness dissipates, cedar and other conifers step in for a brief cameo. The finish is big dense sandalwood quintessence, remaining dense and beautifully structured all the way. This oil has remarkable staying power. Absolutely epic sandalwood oil and an opportunity not to be missed.

See the Shopping Page or our Etsy Shop for current prices.

and coming soon…
ZEN HEART - Japanese Sacred Sandalwood root essential oil
the same single-tree as “Zen One”, over 100 years old, from 600-year-old Zen temple garden.
species: Santalum album
part used: heartwood of root system, aged in-ground 5 years, then dry-aged 9 months before distillation.
vintage: January 2021 in-house low-temperature hydro-distillation lasting 10 days.

Scheduled for release January 2022