In the title compound (systematic name: {(3aS,5S,6R,6aS)-3a-[(benz­yloxy)meth­yl]-6-hy­droxy-2,2-di­methyl­tetra­hydro­furo[2,3-d][1,3]dioxol-5-yl}methyl 4-methyl­benzene­sulfonate), C23H28O8S, the absolute structure and relative stereochemistry of the four chiral centres have been established by X-ray crystallography, with the absolute configuration inferred from the use of L-sorbose as the starting material. The central furan­ose ring adopts a slightly twisted envelope conformation (with the C atom bearing the methyl­benzene­sulfonate substituent as the flap) from which three substituents depart pseudo-axially (-CH2-O-benzyl, -OH and one acetonide O atom) and two substituents pseudo-equatorially (-CH2-O-tosyl and second acetonide O atom). The dioxalane ring is in a flattened envelope conformation with the fused CH C atom as the flap. In the crystal, mol­ecules pack in columns along [010] linked by O-H...O hydrogen bonds involving the furan­ose hy­droxy group and furan­ose ether O atom.