Mystery wood

[Splinters]

Does all rosewood smell like a rose? I have samples and know what it smells like, but I have a back and side set of unknown origin that looks and feels like rosewood but doesn’t have the familiar scent.
Any guesses?

[BradHall]

E.I.R. doesn’t have the Brazilian rosewood aroma.

[Splinters]

I have never worked with E.I.R. So I don’t know. I have looked up different woods on the wood database. It says EIR has a rosey scent. I’m not disagreeing with you. I honestly don’t know.

[redir]

Some times it's hard enough to tell a species of wood even from good detailed pics but with out them it's impossible

[John Arnold]

The term 'rosewood' originated from the smell of freshly cut Brazilian rosewood. Rosewoods are not in the rose family; they are legumes. Most other species of rosewood (Dalbergia spp.) are aromatic, but they don't smell like Brazilian.
Indian rosewood smells more like cow manure to me.

[BradHall]

I bought some approximately 50 yr old sets of rosewood last year. The seller didn’t know if it was Brazilian or not. Neither did I. I looked on line for how to test to find out. I blacklighted some fine shavings in water, looked at the cellular structure of the end grain under magnification, and compared many photos of flat sawn rosewood. I was convinced I got the deal of my building career. I showed two sets to Bruce Sexauer. He sniffed, looked, and licked them and pronounced it E.I.R. I believe him. It’s still beautiful and I’m building with it.

[John Arnold]

Smell is a definitive test. While the smell of some rosewoods fades with age, I have not found that to be the case with Brazilian.

[Bruce Sexauer]

I have many times said that EIR smells like cow manure to me, John, and you are the first I’ve noticed to corroborate. Thank you!

[redir]

LOL! I'm gonna have to try the taste test on some of the few remaining sets of BRW I have left.

[ssstewart]

my experience has been a very earthy smell, not like roses...

kinda like mushrooms..theres a fungus among us

[Splinters]

This wood smells like a cross between dogwood and pussy willow, with subtle hints of cow manure and aspirin.