Abstract The essential oil produced from the heartwood of Santalum album L. was analyzed using GC/MS. Forty-four constituents were identified: one monoterpene and 43 sesquiterpenes. 2,10-Bisaboladien-6-ol (= Î²-bisabolol/epi-Î²-bisabolol) was one of the trace compounds found in east Indian sandalwood oil. Chiral GC analysis showed that besides the main stereoisomer, which possessed an (R,R)-configuration, all three other isomers were also present.