Home › Glossary › Siam

Siam

Q: Is Siam natural or synthetic?

. Extraction: The Siam accord uses individual components: benzoin Siam (solvent extraction of Styrax tonkinensis resin), teak or cedarwood oils, and spice elements. No single 'Siam' extraction exists..

WOODS AND MOSSES / woody · rich · warm

Siam

Category	WOODS AND MOSSES
Subcategory	woody · rich · warm
Origin
Volatility	Base Note
Botanical	Styrax tonkinensis
Appearance	brown viscous liquid
Odor Strength	Medium
Producing Countries	Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam
Pyramid	Base

Warm, resinous, faintly balsamic wood with an exotic, Southeast Asian character. Siam in perfumery carries Thai and Indochinese timbers -- benzoin-adjacent, spiced, tropical.

Scent
The Full Story
Fun Fact
Extraction & Chemistry
In Perfumery

Scent

Warm, sweet-resinous, balsamic-woody. The benzoin Siam provides a vanilla-tinged sweetness; the wood elements add structure; the faint spice provides cultural specificity. Richer than Japanese hinoki, sweeter than Indian sandalwood, with a tropical warmth that reads as Southeast Asian.

Evolution over time

Immediately

Sweet benzoin warmth, resinous, faint spice

After a few hours

Woody depth develops, vanilla-balsamic richness

After a few days

Tenacious warm resinous-woody base, persistent

The Full Story

Siam in perfumery is an atmospheric-woody accord referencing the historical name for Thailand and, by extension, the aromatic materials of mainland Southeast Asia. The note carries the warm, resinous-balsamic character of Siamese benzoin (Styrax tonkinensis), teak (Tectona grandis), and the tropical hardwoods of Indochina.

The accord is typically built from benzoin Siam (sweet, vanillic-balsamic), warm wood elements (teak, cedarwood), and a faint spice trace (clove, cinnamon) referencing the spice-trade heritage of the region. The result is warm, exotic, and resinous -- a wood cabinet in a Bangkok temple.

Functionally, Siam works as a warm, resinous-woody base note with Southeast Asian specificity. It provides a geographic-cultural reference distinct from Indian, Middle Eastern, or Japanese wood accords.

This note in Première Peau. Nuit Elastique · Albâtre Sépia. Sample all seven extraits in the Discovery Set.

—

Related: Alder · Alpha Humulene · Amaranth · Amberever · Amburana Bark · Antillone · Apple Tree

Did You Know?

Did you know?

Siam benzoin (from Styrax tonkinensis, native to Laos and Vietnam) contains up to 75% coniferyl benzoate and significant vanillin -- giving it a distinctly sweeter, more vanilla-like character than Sumatra benzoin (from S. benzoin), which is richer in cinnamic acid derivatives.

Extraction & Chemistry

Extraction method: The Siam accord uses individual components: benzoin Siam (solvent extraction of Styrax tonkinensis resin), teak or cedarwood oils, and spice elements. No single 'Siam' extraction exists.

Molecular Formula	N/A - complex natural resin (key: coniferyl benzoate)
CAS Number	9000-72-0
Botanical Name	Styrax tonkinensis
IFRA Status	No known restrictions
Synonyms	Siam wood, Siamese wood
Physical Properties
Odor Strength	Medium
Lasting Power	400 hours at 20.00%
Appearance	brown viscous liquid
Flash Point	> 212.00 °F. TCC ( > 100.00 °C. )

In Perfumery

Siam is a warm, resinous-woody base note with Southeast Asian specificity. Built from benzoin Siam (Styrax tonkinensis), warm tropical woods, and faint spice (clove, cinnamon). Geographic-cultural reference distinct from Indian or Japanese woods. Works in amber, incense, and Southeast Asian-themed compositions.