Definition
Jasmine sambac (Jasminum sambac) is native to South and Southeast Asia and is grown extensively in India, Egypt, and China for the perfumery and tea industries. Its flowers are harvested at night when their scent intensity peaks. The absolute is obtained by solvent extraction of the concrete (ISIPCA teaching materials, accessed 2026-05-27).
Compared to jasmine grandiflorum, sambac absolute is lighter, sweeter, and more tea-like. Its indole content is lower, giving a cleaner, less animalic impression. It blends well with tea, green notes, aquatic materials, rose, and citrus.
In composition
Jasmine sambac appears in Indian attars (where it is a traditional material), in Japanese-inspired niche compositions, and in modern light floral-tea compositions. It is less expensive than Grasse jasmine grandiflorum absolute and therefore more accessible to artisan niche houses working with limited budgets for naturals.
In Indian perfumery, sambac flowers are layered with sandalwood oil in the traditional attar process to produce Motia (jasmine) attar, one of the most recognizable natural fragrance materials of South Asian perfumery (Fragrantica, accessed 2026-05-27).