Teak

What it brings

A dark, compact woody foundation.

Origins and uses

Teak, Tectona grandis, is a large tree native to India, Malaysia, Laos and Thailand, now grown throughout tropical and subtropical regions. Its wood, pale yellow to bronze brown, is very rich in a natural oleoresin that makes it rot-proof and resistant to insects. Since the late seventeenth century, it has been prized for ship decks, shipbuilding and outdoor furniture.

In perfumery, teak is not distilled: its note is a recreated accord that evokes a dense, oily, dry wood, slightly leathery and smoky, like a ship's deck warmed by the sun. It sits in the base of woody or amber compositions, where it gives an impression of solidity.

In our catalogue, teak forms the base of a woody fragrance by Stéphane Humbert Lucas 777, with incense and tonka bean, beneath a heart of myrrh.