Just as a mystic sage grows in wisdom and spiritual insight over the years, so does the Agarwood resin in the Aquilaria trunk intensify its fragrance over time.
The quality of an Aloeswood oil depends on the quality of the Agarwood from which it is extracted. The oldest and most resinated aloeswood will yield the rarest and most precious Oud oil. The aging process enhances the fragrant aura of the Oud resin and intensifies its aromatic value..
That is why there is a wide range of different Oud qualities and grades. The cheapest Oud oil is distilled from agarwood that costs as little as $20 a kilogram, while the finest Oud can be distilled from agarwood that costs as much as $7,000 per kilogram. The latter is regarded as the highest quality Oud, and it is produced and cherished only in the royal circles of the Gulf and Far East.
The very finest Agarwood reaches a resin content so heavy that it actually sinks in water. This is a phenomenal occurrence because, like all types of wood, Aloeswood normally floats on water. The resin of the Oud becomes so dense that it causes the agarwood to sink. This type of sinking grade aloeswood is known as ‘jinkoh’, which means ‘sinking incense’.
Oriscent presents sinking-grade Oud in its most potent and fragrant form.
Malaysia is an ideal country for the cultivation of Agarwood, one of the most valuable trees in the world. Many investors are looking seriously at portfolio diversification into tropical hardwoods and plantation investment. Agarwood is a highly valuable wood which produces a valuable oleoresin, seen as irregular dark patches formed inside old Aquilaria trees. Other common names for Agarwood include eaglewood, aloeswood and gaharu..
Fewer than 8% of trees produce the valuable Agarwood in nature. The locals cut down Agarwood trees indiscriminately in search of the valuable fragrant producing resin. As a result, there are hardly any of these trees left in the world. Since high quality Agarwood takes a long time to form naturally and only a small percentage of trees produce them naturally, it follows that the demand far exceeds the supply.
Agarwood is a highly valued wood and has been used in medicine, perfume, and as incense in Buddhist, Muslims and Hindus religious ceremonies. Its therapeutic property is used as an ingredient in medicine for treating pleurisy, asthma, rheumatism and jaundice. It is also known to be beneficial to the liver, lungs and stomach. Other products include sculptures, beads,,boxes, perfume, soaps, shampoos and essential oils. International trading of agarwood is not limited to finished products. Trading also takes place in the form of powder, oil, wood and wood chips. Read about Gaharu Products.
Taiwan is the most important final destination market, followed by United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Japan. Japan alone has been importing on average 29,433 kg per year, with an average purchase price of USD187/kg. (Source: Ministry of Finance, Customs Statistics).
Many foresters and investors have expressed interest in growing Agarwood but demand still out-strps supply and because this gap will not be resolved in the near future, there is a great opportunity in agarwood plantations investment..
High quality agarwood, which is black and full of oil, can fetch prices of up to hundreds of dollars a kilo and every piece of agarwood is valuable as wood bits and chips can be used to make aromatic incense sticks.
White parts of the wood scraps can also be distilled to make aromatic essential oil, which can be sold at more than US$1,000 per 10 grammes.
The residue from the distillation process is made into special oil used in Muslim religious ceremonies. As a result, most customers come from Middle East nations, while some European countries also need aromatic agarwood oil to make perfume.
Agarwood or oodh (or just agar) is a dark resinous heartwood that forms in Aquilaria trees (large evergreens native to southeast Asia) when they become infected with a type of mold.
Prior to infection, the heartwood is relatively light and pale coloured, however as the infection progresses, the tree produces a dark aromatic resin in response to the attack, which results in a very dense, dark, resin embedded heartwood. The resin embedded wood is commonly called gaharu, jinko, aloeswood, agarwood, or oud (not to be confused with ‘Bakhoor’) and is valued in many cultures for its distinctive fragrance, and thus is used for incense and perfumes.
Agarwood is known under many names in different cultures:
In Hindi (India), it is known as “agar”, which is originally Sanskrit ‘aguru’ (in Bengali, it is spelled ‘aguru’)..
It is known as Chén-xīang (沉香) in Chinese, “trầm hương” in Vietnamese, and Jin-koh (沈香) in Japanese; all meaning “sinking incense” and alluding to its high density..
Both agarwood and its resin distillate/extracts are known as Oud (عود) in Arabic (literally wood) and used to describe agarwood in nations and areas in Arabic countries. Western perfumers may also use agarwood essential oil under the name “oud” or “oude”.
In Europe it was referred to as Lignum aquila (eagle-wood) or Agilawood, because of the similarity in sound of agila to gaharu.
Another name is Lignum aloes or Aloeswood. This is potentially confusing, since a genus Aloe exists (unrelated), which has medicinal uses.
Agarwood can be use in a varieties of ways, ranging from medicines to aromatherapy.
Medicinal – Tonic, aphrodisiac, diuretic, relieves epilepsy, antimicrobial, carminative, anti-asthmatic.. Useful in nervous disorders, digestive, bronchial complaints, smallpox, rheumatism, illness during and after childbirth, spasms in the digestive and respiratory systems, fevers, abdominal pain, asthma, cancer, colic, diarrhoea, nausea, regurgitation, weakness in the elderly, shortness of breath, chills, general pains and cirrhosis of the liver. It also acts as a director or focuser for other medicines. It has been used as a treatment for lung and stomach tumours.
Perfumery – The resin is also used in perfumery. Yves Saint Laurent and Amouage use agarwood as a base in their most exclusive perfumes.
Culinary – Used in Malaysia to flavour curries and Taiwan uses Agarwood as an aromatic ingredient in their local wines. Even certain Agarwood leaves can be used to make Agarwood Tea.
Aphrodisiac – Agarwood is the most potent aphrodisiac of all the essential oils.
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.
Wicca – In Wicca agarwood is used for love and spirituality and is called for in many of the most powerful magical formulas to draw a lover near.
Aromatherapy – In the field of aromatherapy, Agarwoods ability to invoke a deep sense of relaxation makes it extremely useful in any aromatherapy session, but is especially effective where anxiety and depression are present. Also widely used as an effective aphrodisiac.
1) This oil is water distilled from fungus infected wood of the tree Aquilaria Agallocha, growing in northeastern India. Agar Oil is pale yellow to brownish yellow or dark amber viscous liquid of rich and sweet woody, almost balsamic and with a sweetness similar to that of sandalwood oil.
2) This is a large evergreen tree, 18-21 meters, sometimes up to 40 meters in height, 1.5-2.5 meters in girth, moderately straight with an often fluted stem. The leaves are 5-9 cm. long, thinly coriaceous, oblong-lanceolate, and the flowers are white, green, or dirty yellow in terminal sessile or shortly peduncled, umbellate cymes. The scent that most are familiar with is obtained by water distillation from the oleoresin/wood only after this tree has been infected with a fungal infection. Non-infected trees do not produce the highly fragrant oil or wood. This tree is found in various Southeast Asian forests, Bangladesh, Bengal, Bhutan, Burma, China, Vietnam and Cambodia. The scent is reminiscent of vetiver and sandalwood and is extremely long-lasting. It is important for us to note that the infected tree must be at least 50 years old to produce the oil.
3) Also Known As -Aloes Wood, Eaglewood, Oud, Ud, Gaharu, Wood Aloe.
4) Properties – Relieves spasm and epilepsy, inhibits the central nervous system, antibiotic, relieves pain, calming, anti-asthmatic, aphrodisiac.
5) Uses – Traditional medical uses for this product include: asthma, chest congestion, colic, diarrhea, diuretic, kidney problems, nausea, thyroid cancer, lung tumors and as a general tonic in China. In Indian Ayurvedic medicine it has been used as a cardiac tonic and carminative (relieves gas from the intestines). There is some belief that this oil may be useful in treating lymph system disorders, high blood pressure and as an anti-malarial treatment due to its chemical composition and components. It is felt that because of the difficulty in receiving this oil, alternative medicine practitioners have not investigated it. It is non-sticky and can be applied directly to the skin or can be thinned in jojoba oil. This is one of the most precious and expensive of essential oils and is truly amazing. It should be experienced by any connoisseur of essential oils. You only need to use a tiny amount of this oil at a time; be prepared for the slow release of its aroma over the next 12 hours. There is no other known oil that is this tenacious.
6) Blends with – The warming, balancing, purifying, deep woodsy, and transcendent qualities of this most unique oil blends well with Carnation, Geranium, and Sandalwood.
7) It has long been an olfactory prize for discerning noses. Agar oil, is highly valued and universally prized as ‘Otto of Roses”. Agar though little known in Assam and the North – East is a highly sought after comodity, and the premiums it commands today in the international markets has dramatically transformed the lives of families and economies of areas where its trade exists or where it is procured. One such area that has reaped and flourished from this wonderful resource is the Hojai Sub-division of Nagaon district.
8) The use of agaru is prehistoric. The aromatic Aloe wood mentioned in the Bible was no other but the heartwood of Aquilaria ovata, or agar. There is mention of the use of Aloe wood(udul-Hind) in Paradise as incense in the famous Ahadith – Sahi Al – Bukhari. Agar also finds a place in the travelogues on ancient Kamrup by Chinese pilgrim Hiuen – Tsang, besides earning a mention in Abhijnanmam Shakuntalam of Kalidasa and Arthashastra of Chanakya.
9) Agar is inextricably linked to Assam’ s rich cultural heritage. In antiquity, Assam’ s monarchs employed the used bark of the Sasi Agar tree for chronicling their royal circulars and diktats.
10) The first historical biographies in Sanskrit –the Harsha Charita written by Bana in 652 AD also chronicles the fact that among the many gifts sent by Assamese king Bhaskara Varman to Harsha, volumes of fine writing in leaves made from aloe bark and balck aloe oil occupied a very prominent place. The Nowgong grant of Balavarman gives a graphic desciption of Pragjyotisha nagara where areca nuts are wrapped in leaves of creeper of betel-plants and Krishnaguru(telegu for Agarwood) or black aloe wood trees were surrounded with cardamom creepers. It is also recorded that after conquering the last king Gaur Gobind in 1348AD ,in Sylhet ,Saint Fakir Ali Shah Jalal and his followers found agar wood and agar attar along with many other valuables in the royal store. This clearly indicates that distillation of agar oil was done as far back as 13th century or even much earlier. Abul Fazal Allami in his Ain-I-Akbari (memories of Emperor Akbar written in 1590 AD gives a vivid description of agarwood and agar oil along with their manufacturing process and uses. It is also said that the Mughals invaded Assam mainly for agaru..such was it lure.!!.
11) Revered Vaishnava saint – reformer and literary giant Sri Sankardeva, Vaisnavite saint Shri Madhab Deb also used sheets of the Agar for giving a written expression to their sermons, widely using agar for their sacred scriptures . Sri Sankardeva is also believed to have said that agar and chandana are the two divine trees capable of fulfilling human desires. Religious puthis and history was also written and copied on specially treated bark of agar trees, known since time immemorial as Sanchipat and puthis, numerous puthis some dating back to as far back as 500 years ago are still preserved in quintessentially Assamese sacred repositories such as Than,Satras and Namgarh.
12) It is nothing but a rare fungus that attaches itself to the agar tree that has made agar such a valuable and sought after product. This fungus once it establishes itself on the tree turns the woody trunks into a deep brownish black colour. The darker the woody bark turns due to fungal infection, the more valuable the wood It is the fungus that gives the agar wood its unique aroma, when it is burnt. The oleoresin is usually found where the branches fork out from the stem. Agaru or agarwood is the heavily oleoresin impregnated solid chips of wood obtained and processed from the fungus affected part of the trees. Devoid of the fungus, the agar tree in itself has no value. So it is natures value addition to the tree that commands a premium in the market.
13) The uses of Agar are many. Its aromatic bark popularly known as Agar Batti is used as incense in many a home. Its by-product Agar oil used as a base for Attars and perfumes. The heavy base notes of the Agar oil lends itself to blend well with other essential oils such as rose,ylang ylang ,and jasmine that collectively power the perfume industry,the world over. Some European perfume houses especially seek out Agar oil to create heavier muskier perfume that have enhanced Agars demand and thereby carved a special niche market for these agar dependant perfumes.
14) Agar Oil also has therapeutic uses as it is used in a large number of Unani and Ayurvedic medicines. Interestingly agar is also used to flavour common and widely used betel nut preparations such as Pan Parag and and Baba Zarda.
15) In Hojai,is sold at a rate of 100-6000 rupees per tola or 11.62 grams. In economic terms ,its value is pegged at one and half times the price of gold.
16) Once the Agar wood is procured, t is classified on the basis of quality. The less darker pieces are put into larger water drums to soften.
Once these wood pieces soften, they are ground into a powder and are put into vessels called Degs with water. Degs are then heated so as to encourage the ground agar to release the oil within it. Once the water inside the Deg reaches a certain boiling temperature then the oil from the wood along with the water vapour reaches a container called the vabka. Before reaching the vabka the water vapour that passes through a steel pipe between the Deg and the vabka is cooled what therefore reaches the Vabka is a combination of water and agar oil,with the oil floating over the water. This oil is carefully extracted with a fine syringe and then stored into a fine glass bottle to be sun –dried for the final product –the Agar Oil.
17) The need for research into this dwindling valuable resource is compelling .Except in Nagland, there is no Agar left in India. Traditional sources are drying up. Reserves in Kalibanthan and Salabasi in Indonesia are also diminishing day by day .Fortunately for traders,new sources have been discovered in Maraoca near Indonesia and Pupua New Guinea, Laos and parts of Java.
Gaharu thieves, mainly from Thailand and aided by locals and big-time financiers, are now operating in conservation forests in Sabah after they have virtually raped existing forests in the peninsular.
By BI Reporters
LAHAD DATU: Gaharu thieves have infiltrated the Maliau Basin Conservation Area (MBCA), dubbed as Sabah’s ‘Lost World’, in search of the precious agarwood (or gaharu) which, when processed can fetch thousands of ringgit in the international market.
This was the shocking discovery made during a ten-day intensive resource and wildlife inventory survey to the pristine rain forest by local researchers, including Emin Madi, a BERNAMA writer, recently.
Several members of the survey team not only found hard and fresh evidence of encroachment such as bullet casings, camping sites, hunting and fishing paraphernalia and graffiti on tree trunks but even came into close encounters with a band of suspected poachers or gaharu collectors.
Although gaharu, also known as agarwood or ‘black gold’ given its preciousness and value, is now being cultivated in plantations, it is still the variety found in the wild that finds premium prices by international buyers..
The Borneo Insider understands that gaharu thieves, mainly from Thailand and aided by locals and big-time financiers, are now operating in conservation forests in Sabah after they have virtually raped existing forests in the peninsular.
Among those experimenting with cultivated gaharu in Sabah are the Forestry Department as well as the Sabah Land Development Board which has a trial plot in Nabawan and also Litang, Lahad Datu.
But it is the private sector, including former Chief Minister Datuk Harris Salleh, who are already years ahead in this crop.
Sandalwood has been in use for at least 4,000 years of the oldest incense materials. It is a very important ingredient in Japanese and Chinese incense, in both traditional and modern formulas.
Middle eastern countries covet the sandalwood oil which can command prices of up to thousands of ringgit based on its quality.
The gaharu tree grown in the wild can reach more than 50 meters tall. The tree reaches its full maturity in 60 to 80 years, which is when the center of the trunk has achieved its greatest oil content.
As the tree grows, the essential oil develops in the roots and heartwood, which requires at least 15 to 20 years. Full maturity is reached after 60 to 80 years. The core of dark heartwood gradually develops,, which is covered by outer sapwood.
Sandalwood essential oil is distilled from the roots and heartwood of trees. The scent, called chandana, is in aromatherapy used to induce a calm and meditative state. The lasting fragrance only improves with age.
According to mythology, sandalwood originally grew only in heaven’s gardens. Temple gates and religious statues are carved from the wood because of this spiritual association, the exquisite scent, and because it is impermeable to termites and other insects.
Sandalwood also has an age-old reputation as an aphrodisiac, and in fact, its fragrance is similar to the human pheromone, alpha androsterole.
The scent of sandalwood has a soft, warm, woody, and balsamic fragrance.
Its therapeutic properties includes – antidepressant, anti-inflammatory, antifungal, astringent, sedative, insecticide, urinary and lung antiseptic; relieves lung congestion and nausea.
One of sandalwood’s most important uses is to sedate the nervous system, subduing nervousness, anxiety, insomnia, and to some degree, reducing nerve pain. Researchers have found it relaxes brain waves..
Suitable for all complexion types, it is especially useful on rashes, inflammation, acne, and dry, dehydrated, or chapped skin.
At one time gaharu poachers were known to be operating in the jungles of Pensiangan as well as the Marak Paak Forest Reserve, and the Borneo Insider believes that the Forestry Department is well aware of this crime.
Gaharu also known as agarwood, aloeswood or eaglewood is the resinous, fragrant and highly valuable heartwood produced by the Aquilaria tree which has been widely used by the aromatic industry.
When the trees were infected with mold, it begins to produce an aromatic resin in response to this attack. As the infection grows, it results in a very rich, dark resin within the heartwood. The resin is commonly called gaharu, jinko, aloeswood, agarwood, pokok karas or oud and is valued in many cultures for its distinctive fragrance, and thus is used for incense and perfumes.
Aquilaria spp. tree is an evergreen angiosperm of the family Thymelaeaceae (Ng. et al., 1997). The mature tree could grow up to 40 meter high and 60 centimeter in diameter with moderately straight stem. It bears white flowers that are sweetly scented. A total of about fifteen (15) species of Aquilaria have been reported and have significant commercial value. These species include Aquilaria malaccensis, A. agallocha, A. baillonii, A. crassna, A. hirta, A. rostrata, A. beccariana, A. cummingiana, A. falaria, A. khasiana, A. microcarpa,, A. grandiflora, A. chinensis or A. sinensis. A. boneensis, and A. bancana.
Aquilaria species, generally, have smooth, thin, pale, gray bark with dense, dark foliage of shiny elliptical to oblong leaves with average leaves size of 7.5 – 12 cm long and 2.5-5.5 cm wide (Ding Hou, 1960). A shade-tolerant tree, Aquilaria is an understory tree of mature evergreen and semi-evergreen forest occurring at low to medium altitudes, generally up to 1000 m above sea level depending on the type of species. All these Aquilaria species are significantly important for gaharu industries.
In the market, gaharu is the trade name generally refers to “fragrant wood” or “scented wood” or “aromatic resinous wood” source from Aquilaria spp. timber tree. This fragrant wood has several other common names, such as “agarwood, eaglewood or aloeswood” (English), “agor” (Bangladesh), “akyaw” (Myanmar), “calambour” (French), “adlerholz” (Germany), “kalambak, calambac or tengkaras” (Kalimantan, Sabah and Sarawak), “kikaras” (Sundanese), “alim, halim or karek” (Sumatra), “agaru or sasi” (India), “kanankoh” (Vietnam) and “Ch’Ing Kui Hsiang, Ch’En Hsiang, Chan Hsiang, Chi Ku Hsiang or Huang Shu Hsiang (China).
Gaharu served as raw material for the production of many aromatic medicinal products, such stimulant, tonic and carminative medicine. The essential oil extracted from the wood served as constituent of medicines for palpitation of the heart and other ills (Burkill, 1966). For an example, in Japan, the “scented wood” has also long been used as incenses for stomachache remedy and sedatives of the Oriental medicine as well as used to anoint the dead (Okugawa et al., 1993). In India, the essential oil extracted from the “scented wood” has been used in the production of perfume and other new products such as gaharu essence, soap and shampoo (Chakrabarty et al., 1994). In Malaysia, Gaharu continue to be highly demanded by the cosmetic and manufacturing industries..
For more than 200 years, Gaharu has been traded across Europe and Asia. The main consumers are from the Middle East and China (Burkill 1935). In the Middle East, particularly the Arab, gaharu are largely used as incense in religious ceremonies or spiritual rituals.
Currently the demand for gaharu is high and large quantities are traded in domestic and international market. Internationally, gaharu are widely traded to the Middle East, China, Taiwan and Japan in the form of solid wood to be used as incense for traditional and religious ceremonies, medicinal purposes, and in distilled pure resin form for perfume and perfume component. The traded price ranges from low to extremely high depending on the values and qualities of the gaharu produced.
Annual Gaharu exports from Malaysia amounted to RM72mil a year. In Peninsular Malaysia, approximately 0.5 million kg of gaharu was exported from 1998 to 2003 which contributed an estimated amount of RM36 million to the national economy.
Agarwood trees are able to be harvested after 7 years of planting. Inoculation process can be applied when the tree is 5 years old and it can produced excellent Agarwood continuously over the 2 years.
Gaharu can be produced through conventional and non-conventional methods. Conventionally, gaharu is produced by wounding the Aquilaria tree involving slashing with parang or knife in order for the trees to be infected and begin to produce aromatic resin. On the contrary, non-conventional method for the production of large volume of quality gaharu from Aquilaria tree is also available and continuously explored.
Currently China is the biggest consumers of gaharu with an import of 500 tons per year. The biggest consumers of agarwood products are Middle East, Taiwan and Japan whereas the biggest exporter of gaharu is Indonesia.
Agarwood, Gaharu, Chen Xiang or Oudh is the most precious and expensive wood presently in existence. Also known as natural treasure and the wood of God due to the numerous uses and benefits each tree provides. The use of this treasured wood is dated as early as 600 AD and it is even mentioned in the Bible as aloeswood.
Agarwood is formed when an Aquilaria tree gets infected by a certain type of fungus. This dark, aromatic resinous heartwood is then known as Agarwood or Gaharu is highly valued for its distinctive fragrance used for incense and perfumes.
A kilogram of unprocessed gaharu’s heartwood can fetch as much as RM 10,000 per kilogram. Distilled gaharu essential oil can command up to RM 100,000 per kilogram and the price is expected to rise due to increasing international demand.
This prized wood can only be found in the South East Asia Region and each region produces a different species of wood which are all highly sought after by the Middle East, China, Taiwan and Japan. Currently, Annual Gaharu exports from Malaysia amounts to RM 72 Million a year.
Due to the high value and demand for Agarwood, there have been many reported cases of robbery and theft in the wild.
Health benefits
Gaharu tea has been traditionally know to provide many beneficial properties to its consumers..
It is rich in essential nutrients such as calcium, zinc, iron, manganese and vitamins
It contains high levels of anti-carcinogen, anti-oxidant and anti-aging properties
Treats poor liver function and is a tonic for healthier liver
Maintains, stabilize and lower blood pressure
Reduces Insomnia (sleeping difficulty)
Produces a calming effect, a stress-reliever
Maintains, stabilizes and reduce blood sugar level for diabetic
Agarwood is the dark, resinous heartwood that forms in the Aquilaria tree. The Aquilaria tree is a large, evergreen tree native to Tropical Monsoon Asia which produces a dark aromatic resin in response to its tropical environment. Prior to formation of the fragrant resin, the heartwood is relatively light and pale in color. The rich resin imbued wood is called Agarwood, Oud or Oudh.. Agarwood is also known throughout the world as Gaharu, Jinko, Aloeswood and Eagleswood. Traded and treasured for centuries, Oud oil and chips have been highly revered in Islamic culture, especially amongst Sufis or the mystics of Islam.
How is Oud oil made?
The Agarwood is harvested in the jungles or plantations and brought to the distillers. Prior to distillation, some of the wood is separated and sold as chips for burning as incense. The remaining resinous wood is distilled into Oud oil or Agarwood oil. To facilitate extraction of the oil, the wood is soaked in water prior to the distillation process. Two distillation techniques are common. Forced steam distillation is used in Indonesia, while hydro-distillation is more common in Indian, Cambodia and Thailand. These methods leave their distinct mark on the Oud oil. Unlike perfumes or Attars such as Amber perfume, Arabian perfume, Arabic perfume, Islamic perfume or essential oils such as Jasmine oil, Frankincense oil, Arabian oil, Egyptian musk oil, our Oud oil is 100% pure Agarwood oil and is not blended with other oil perfumes. One should not be confused with products being sold as Arabian Oud since the Aquilaria tree does not grow in the Arabian Peninsula. All Oudh oil sold in the Arabic world is imported by wholesale perfume oil companies from Tropical Monsoon Asia.
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.
Vietnam Agarwood 