Many of you will be familiar with the smell of synthetic Oud in modern perfumes. This is not what we are talking about. We are talking about oud from nature, from a tree. Most of you would not have come across this smell in daily life unless you have spent some time in an Islamic culture. We will explore this culture today through the prism of scent.
Oud is highly valued by perfumers for its sweet, woody, aromatic and complex scent. It is a classical note in perfumery, most often used as a base note.
Oud is also called Agarwood. It comes from the wood of the tropical Agar (Aquilaria) tree, believed to have originated in the Assam region of India, and spread from there throughout Southeast Asia. When the wood of this tree gets infected with a certain mold variety (Phialophora parasitica), it reacts by producing a precious, dark and fragrant resin from which is where the perfume ingredient is derived.
The first thing your sense of smell picks up in an Arab house is the heady aroma of Oudh wafting in the air..
Oudh is considered as a supreme fragrance in the Gulf countries.
In Qatar, Oudh is burned as a mark of respect and hospitality and is a traditional gesture of welcoming and honouring guests. In fact, Oudh is considered an important feature at most social occasions..
Oudh, which simply means wood in Arabic, has an extraordinary pedigree. Also known as aloes and agarwood, Oudh is found in the forests of South East Asia.
It is an aromatic resin found in certain species of Aquilaria and Gyrinops trees. The resin is produced by the tree as an immune response to a fungus – Phialophora parasitica – that invades the tree and over many years spreads through it.
It is believed that it takes as long as 300 years for the fungus to spread through the bark of the tree. Unlike the otherwise pale wood of the tree, infected sections are dark and extremely heavy. In fact, the Chinese and Japanese terms for Oudh translate as ‘the wood that sinks in water’.
The best grade of Oudh is hard, nearly black and very heavy. In general, Oudh becomes inferior as it becomes lighter in tone, flecked with diminishing amounts of resin.
Oudh/Agarwood oil is derived from an Agarwood tree that grows abundantly in Laos, but is found all over Southeast Asia. The highest quality Agarwood trees can be found in the former countries of Indochina, such as: Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. Also found in Assam a province in India, where the best distillers in the world can be found. Agarwood/Oud oil are products of infected species of trees, commonly being sought from Aquilaria and Gyrinops trees.
New methods to cultivate Agarwood in plantation grown trees by stimulating naturally occurring compounds called Sesquiterpenes and Chromones. These compounds are produced as a defense mechanism in the living tree to ward off microbial attack and are produced only under very specific circumstances within a tiny percentage of trees.. The resin can now be produced in trees as young as ten years old, without adversely affecting the environment and creating jobs for some of the poorest areas in the world.
With less than one percent of wild Agarwood trees producing the resin and no way of knowing which trees have the resinous wood, indiscriminate cutting has resulted in very few old Agarwood trees remaining in the wild.. Although protected by law in most countries and by international treaties, illegal cutting still occurs and old trees are endangered.
Agarwood comes in solid or liquid form. Solids are only solid at room temperature, and if warmed slightly, it turns to mobile liquid. It is an anti-asthmatic and can be applied directly to the skin as it is non-irritating. The oil is very tenacious and only the tiniest of drops is needed to fill the air with its soul evoking aroma. It is a complex aroma with many nuances, deep and ethereal. The aroma takes about 12 hours to unfold and it will last on the skin for more than a day, and if placed on any material, the scent can last for months. It can be used as a perfume, an aroma therapy and an essential oil or as an aid for the deepest meditation. It is believed that this fragrances will unlock the subconscious and allow you to go deep into your memories. The resin is also used in perfumery, Yves Saint Laurent and Amouage use Agarwood in their top perfumes as a base.
The Aquilaria tree grows up to 40 meters high and 60 centimeters in diameter. It bears sweetly-scented, snow-white flowers. These trees form resins within the heartwood that can then produce Oudh/Agarwood oils. Of the 26 species (two of them are believed to be extinct) of Aquilaria trees found in fifteen countries around the world, it is thought that 4-6 of them can produce the highly acclaimed Oudh oil resin. The trees frequently become infected with a parasite fungus or mold, Phialophora parasitica, and begin to produce an aromatic resin, in response to this attack. The results are achieved by allowing plenty of time for infection to take place, and preferably in the forest or other non-contrived settings. Eventually, this infection will cause the tree to die, and Agarwood resin can then be chipped away, in various grades of quality, and sold. For the extraction of Oudh oil, the tree has to be alive and infected, distillation has to take place within a few months of cutting for best results. Uninfected trees have no value and is used for firewood.
View countries where different types of Aquilaria trees can be found here.
The lesser quality Agarwood has a whitish color and contains less resin.. They are graded, chopped, shredded, soaked, distilled, dried, and rolled into incense sticks. The uninfected Agarwood has no scented value. Oud oil has an eccentric, as well as, acquired fragrance. It is regarded as a very sophisticated and highly prized Oudh fragrance in the Arab world.
The fragrance oil business is a complex, multi-faceted business. Many people are involved in the making of one good oil. You, the consumer, benefit from the hundreds of pages of research and countless hours of testing. Fragrance oils open up a whole new world for soap and toiletry makers; scents that you have never dreamed of are out there for you to use and enjoy. You’ll be delighted with the world of fragrance out there when you start to explore.
The name of Oudh (Agarwood) in different cultures:
It is known as Oudh and Dehnal Oudh in the Middle Eastern countries such as United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar & Bahrain; Bakhoor in Kuwait.
Chén-xīang in Chinese; “trầm hương” in Vietnamese, and Jin-koh in Japanese; most of these mean “sinking incense” and allude to Oudh’s high density.
In Europe it was referred to as Lignum aquila (Eagle-wood) or Agilawood because of the similarity in sound of Agila to Gaharu. Many European branded perfume companies are using Agar wood extract oil to boost the quality of their own made perfumes.
Another name is Lignum aloes or Aloeswood. The Aloes of the Old Testament and of the Hebrew Bible (ahalim in Hebrew) are believed to be Agarwood from Aquilaria Malaccensis.
In Tibetan it is known as a-ga-ru. There are several varieties used in Tibetan Medicine: unique eaglewood: ar-ba-zhig; yellow eaglewood: a-ga-ru ser-po, white eaglewood: ar-skya, and black eaglewood: ar-nag.
In Assamese it is called as “Pgoru”.
The Indonesian, Malaysia & Brunei name is “Gaharu”.
In Papua New Guinea it is called “Ghara”.
In Bangladesh & Hindi (India), it is known as “Agar”, which is originally Sanskrit based.
In Thai it is known as “Mai Kritsana or Mai Hom”.
In Laos it is known as “Mai Ketsana”.
Oudh/Agarwood Oil Around the World
The West
Aloeswood/Oudh oil is slowly making an appearance in The West where the majority of people do not know about this natural gift of nature.
Middle East
The Agarwood oil termed as ‘Oudh’ in the Middle East is highly valued for its fragrance, it can go upto astonishingly high prices due to the level of demand that exists. It is worn on clothes and skin, mainly used by men during special occasions such as Eid and Friday prayers.
Oman
One of the most prized fragrance items in Oman is Oud, which is imported from Cambodia, India and Malaysia. It is a musky-smelling wood which may be burned or from which oil can be extracted. It is very expensive and only used on important occasions such as Eid, weddings, funerals and to celebrate the birth of a child. The Oudh oil will often be given as part of a woman’s dowry, together with gold and other gifts.
Bahrain
Oudh is considered as a supreme fragrance in the Gulf countries. In Bahrain, Oudh is burned as a mark of respect and hospitality and is a traditional gesture of welcoming and honoring guests. In fact, Oudh is considered an important feature at most social occasions.
Japan
The wood is carved as settings for precious stones and Aloeswood is an excellent wood for sculptures and carvings In Japan, Aloeswood is used in a complex fragrance guessing game called koh-do, part of the ceremonial appreciation of incense adopted from the Chinese,, who still use the expression wenxiang, “listening to the incense.” Japanese Shamans use Aloeswood Oils for its psychoactive properties. They believe enhances mental clarity and opens the third eye as well as all of the upper charkas
China
There are many stories about Aloeswood being buried under the ground for hundreds of years. This legend comes from an old Chinese book on incense. Oudh oil is prized in China for its psychoactive properties.
Buddhist
Used chiefly for Incense for the Mind – during meditation, Agarwood is highly psychoactive. It is used for spiritual journey, enlightenment, clarity and grounding. Buddhists use it for transmutation of ignorance Tibetan Monks Tibetan monks use it to bring energy to the center and calm the mind and spirit.
Sufis
The Sufis use Agarwood oil in their esoteric ceremonies
Practitioners Around the World
It is recommended by experienced practitioners for providing motivation and devotion to meditation. It is supposed to facilitate communication with the transcendent, refreshes the mind and body, drives away evil spirits, takes away exhaustion, removes impurities, expels negative energies, brings alertness, calms the nervous system, relieves anxiety, invokes a sense of strength and peace, creating natural order in your sacred living areas, enhances cerebral functioning, remedies nervous disorders such as neurosis, obsessive behaviour, etc., and it is a companion in solitude.
Chinese, Tibetan, Ayurvedic and Unanai physicians have all used Agarwood in their practice to treat various diseases as well as mental illness.
Agarwood Medicinal Uses
Stimulant, tonic, nausea, nerves, regurgitation, weakness in the elderly, aphrodisiac, diuretic, relieves epilepsy, antimicrobial, carminative (gas), smallpox, rheumatism, illness during and after childbirth, relieves spasms in digestive and respiratory systems, shortness of breath, chills, general pains, lowers fever, asthma, cancer, colic, digestive and bronchial complaints, abdominal pain, diarrhea, cirrhosis of the liver and as a director or focuser for other medicines. It has also been used as a treatment for lung and stomach tumors.
Insomnia – Valerian is a natural component of Agarwood Resin and functions to relieve insomnia and calm the nervous system before sleep, allowing one to have a deeper, longer sleep. Inhale the fragrance deeply and it will help you sleep. In some Arab cultures this is the norm before going to sleep.
It is true that Agarwood/Aloeswood/Oudh Oil is the most precious and expensive oil product on Earth, today valued over pure gold.
Due to over-harvesting of entire forests as well as the incredibly labor intensive process of artisan distillation, 2012 retail prices around the globe have increased significantly and are generally US$8,000-US$32,000 and up for a kilogram of Aloeswood chips and anywhere from US$8,000-US$61,000 for a single litre of pure Aloeswood Oil. Difficult to believe, but it happens every day on the world markets.
The Aquilaria species is native to India, Thailand, Vietnam, China, Cambodia, Borneo, Laos, Pakistan, Indonesia, Burma, New Guinea, Malaysia, and Philippines.
The Oudh we source is artisanally distilled in Assam from Aquilaria Agallocha. Since ancient times, Assam was the richest area of natural occurring Agarwood trees. There are 15 species of Aquilaria in the world but only 8 produce resin in response to a fungal attack.
This ‘Wood and Oil of the Gods’ is also called: oudh, oud, aoud, ud, agar, aloes, agarwood, aloeswood, gaharu, kyara, eaglewood, bois d’aigle, kinam, telugu, aguru, agaru, jinkoh, chien-xiang, tram huong, cham heong, sasi, sashi, akil, mai kritsana and mai ketsana.
Then there is the tale of a wealthy Japanese businessman who is said to have purchased two exquisite pieces of Aloeswood suitable for sculpture and paid the equivalent of US$100,000 for one of the pieces and US$272,000 for the other. Can this be true?
The aroma of Oudh is deeply spiritual in nature and connects us with our ancient past. Oudh is used around the world for religious occasions by Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Sufi, Shinto and Japanese Shamanic as well as others.
It is written in the Qur’an that Aloeswood contains 7 cures, and it is known to be the Biblical ahaloth [aloes] of King Solomon in the Old Testament ‘Song of Solomon’ written more than 30 centuries ago. There are many who believe a cutting of the Aloeswood tree was taken by Adam from the Garden of Eden. The facts will forever remain a great mystery of history.
Oudh was used by the Prophet of Islam [peace be upon him], and he praised it as one of the three most beloved things the worldly life had to offer.
Oudh was praised by the Buddha as being ‘the scent of Nirvana’ and is mentioned in the third century Chinese chronicle Nan Zhou Yi Wu Zhi.
It is known that the Japanese Samurai warriors scented their armor with Agarwood smoke for protection before going into battle and King Louis XIV of France had his shirts washed only in water that had previously been used to boil Agarwood.
The People of the Gulf States are said to always seek the absolute best quality Oudh aroma profiles but are not always so highly concerned whether it’s natural or synthetic in purity, although alcohol is totally forbidden by religion. Traditionally, culturally and religiously, both the oil and the wood have been revered for many centuries. Used in Holy ceremonies and still considered Holy in this modern day.
Our Oudh is always 100% pure and natural and is appropriate and acceptable for use in religious purposes and holy occasions.
In the New Testament of the Christian Bible it is written that Aloes and Myrrh of ‘one hundred weight’ were brought to Nicodemus to be used in the tomb to anoint the body of the Christian Savior Jesus Christ,, and a legend says that Aloeswood was burned at the funeral of Jesus.
From the 5000 year old Sanskrit Bhagavata Purana:
‘The men and women of the city, arrayed in spotless raiment and anointed with fragrant sandalwood paste, wore precious necklaces, flower garlands and jeweled ornaments, and their opulent homes were filled with the aroma of Aguru.’
Given the significance of this exalted substance in the world religious and cultural traditions, the history of this substance speaks volumes before you ever smell it. For millennia, people have felt a deep spiritual attraction to Oudh and realize they must acquire some.
Although there are a number of high-end Western perfumes and colognes available today with ‘Oudh’ in their name, most of them contain very little true Aloeswood/Agarwood oil. In others, the Oudh contained is synthetic, and some are Oudh in name only, containing no Aloeswood/Agarwood oil at all, either natural or synthetic. Among others, the world famous luxury fragrances Zeenat and Amouage do indeed contain the precious Aloeswood/Agarwood oil.
Oudh is an somewhat of an acquired taste. It’s aroma is virtually unknown to the Western nose but the Eastern nose is well educated.
In modern times, the Ayurvedic, Tibetan, Arabic, Unani and Traditional Chinese Medical practices use Aloeswood oil and Aloeswood in various ways such as for certain medical remedies and even to treat particular diseases. It is used as a light sedative to calm the mind and spirit, relax the nervous system, relieve emotional anxieties and mental illness and invoke a sense of peace, strength and serenity, enhance cerebral functioning, purify the liver and balance the organs, treat insomnia, digestive ailments and abdominal problems,, certain obsessive behaviors, relieve pain, sore throat, vomiting, increase alertness, expel negative energies and open the upper chakras.
In addition to the warming qualities and medical properties of Agarwood/Aloeswood, it is also known as an aphrodisiac and is still used today in various gourmet culinary preparations.
To the uninitiated nose, Oudh can sometimes overwhelm the senses but those potent initial notes are only the 1st movement of a concerto of ancient aroma profiles that resonate in a pure Oudh. We’re quite pleased with the potency, tenacity and aroma profiles of both of our currently available Assam oils [1A and AA].
In wearing a “deep dark resonating oudh with a nice bit of barnyardy at first swipe” such as the Assam Oudhs [which I personally favor] only a tiny amount is used at a time, unless you’re making a bold statement [which we also favor].
Expect the aroma profile of the Hindi Assam Oudh to last for 8-12 hours on skin, depending on physical activity and body chemistry of the person wearing it, and generally lasting for 15+ days on cloth.
Oudh is worn worldwide by men and women alike. It is one of the true natural wonders given to mankind and should be experienced by the connoisseur, the person of Spirituality, and all who are serious about Aromatherapy.
The bible mentioned aloe in reference to the ancient incense we refer to as Oud today.
ALOE, ALOESWOOD
[Heb., ʼaha·lim′ (plural) and ʼaha·lohth′ (plural); Gr., a·lo′e].
The agarwood mentioned in the bible (Ps 45:8; Pr 7:17; Ca 4:14 ) was popularly attributed to the Hindi Agallocha species of agarwood plant that exists primarily in the northern state of Assam, India and its neighbouring regions. The tree is large and can grow to a height of 100 feet. The inner core of the trunk and some branches are impregnated with resin and an odoriferous oil from which comes the highly prized perfume. Apparently attaining its most aromatic state when in decay, the wood is sometimes buried in the ground to hasten the decaying process.. The wood is then to be used for incense burning in order to utilise its fragrant scent and plentiful odoriferous oil.
It was mentioned in the bible that Nicodemus brought “a roll of myrrh and aloes” weighing about 100 Roman pounds (33 kg), to be used in preparing for Jesus’ departure. Nicodemus’ contribution must have required a considerable outlay of money on his part. While some apply the term “aloes” in this text to the plant of the lily family that now bears the botanical name of Aloe vera, the product of this plant (a thick juice from the leaves) is employed not for its aroma but as a purgative and for other health-related purposes. The aloes brought by Nicodemus was highly likely the same aloeswood or agarwood product as that referred to in the Hebrew Scriptures and Muslim Hadiths.
Aloes, today, are the costliest of biblical scents. Up till today, many of the Kings’ garments are fragranced in agarwood, replicating the practise of the kings of the ancient.
Re-live this tradition of great peoples and pamper yourself with some traditional perfuming with Sultanul Oud premium range of quality aloes.
Vietnam Agarwood 