Abstract Volatile constituents of sandalwood (Santalum insulare) concrete from the island of Nuku-Hiva in Marquesas Islands were studied using GC, GC/MS, HPLC and NMR. The investigation of nine main compounds showed important variations among sandalwood samples (from 3.5â53.2% for α-santalol and from trace to 29.3% for (Z)-nuciferol). Statistical analysis put in relief a geographical segregation between sandalwoods growing in dry area in Terre-Déserte (14.6% of α- and β-santalol, 17.1% of (Z)-nuciferol and 11.7% of 6,13-dihydroxybisabola-2,10-diene) and sandalwoods growing in wetter area of the other parts of the island (60.9% of α- and β-santalol, 1.2% of (Z)-nuciferol and 0.7% of 6,13-dihydroxybisabola-2,10-diene). The chemotype rich in (Z)-nuciferol of Terre-Déserte constitutes a rare and new chemotype, which is described for the first time.