When I first swiped Agar Aura’s Pulau Maluku, I thought I was smelling an oil from Maroke, only to have my senses puzzled a few seconds later as I began to perceive a full-blown Borneo profile.

This strangely beautiful juxtaposition of scent profiles is what sets Pulau Maluku apart from other Oud oils, with its geographical roots being a perfect mirror for its fragrance. It was only after applying the oil a few times that I realized that Maluku, an island in Indonesia, is located exactly between Borneo and Papua. Mystery solved!

Map of Indonesia

This is the first oil from Maluku that I have come across so far. I am not aware of any other quality distillations from Maluku wood at this time, making Pulau Maluku a very unique and special offering. I love the dark, jungly, and pristine aspects of Papuan oils, and I also love the bright and sweet aspects of Borneo oils. In my opinion, Oud oils from these two regions stand in contrast to one another, and I have never really associated them with one another in any way, until I smelled Pulau Maluku.

The oil opens with Papuan notes–jungly, dense, herbaceous. For a moment, I have no reason to think I am smelling anything else, despite the fragrance being noticeably lighter than the Papuan oils I am so used to. When my nose returns to my wrist again, I realize there is something else going on here, as the fragrance begins to rapidly morph. The Papuan elements quickly become luscious undertones for a fragrance that is now beginning to express the most recognizable Borneo notes.

Soon I have forgotten the jungles and am entranced in a rapture of one of the most pristine and balmy vanilla notes. The vanilla is very pronounced, more pronounced than in other Borneo oils in my collection. Maluku starts to smell like a Borneo stripped of its base–sensual, smooth, suave, and beautifully light-hearted. Pulau Maluku beautifully captures the ethereal aspect of Borneo oils with stunning accuracy and clarity.

Vanilla bean

With the oil singing on my wrist, I am again lost in a vine of vanilla beans. So much vanilla. It is not that it smells like vanilla, it is nearly identical to putting your nose in a bottle of vanilla extract–but without the concentration, and much more velvety.

As the fragrance approaches its dry down phase, the Papuan elements make a re-appearance, and this time to stay. Undertones of mineral, resin, and fresh jungle support the sweet and airy base of Pulau Maluku, making it one of the more impressive Oud oils I have had the opportunity to experience. More remarkable is that the fragrance of burning Oud chips–the mark of high quality Papuan oils–begins to come into focus, drawing the finishing stroke of a wonderful composition.

Pulau Maluku is a classic stainless steel distillation. Regarding the raw materials used, Taha said to me in a personal communication, “Feedstock for Pulau Maluku was collected from trees that are quite possibly the oldest of ALL ouds that you and I have ever come across.”

I must congratulate him in distilling the first Maluku Oud oil of this quality that I have found, and in offering such a high quality distillation. Additionally, the oil has great longevity and sillage on my skin, a surprisingly nice kick for a “light” oil.

Unfortunately (and expectedly) Pulau Maluku is sold out. But this is an oil worth tracking down in private collections, if you get the chance. On a related note, for anyone curious about Maluku wood, check out Olfactory Rescue Service’s post here.

AgarAura’s Royal Assam is an unusual Assam Oud. It does not possess the density and tenacity of your usual Indian Oud, nor the creamy profile of Meghalayan Oud. Rather, Royal Assam exhibits clear, almost airy notes,  and a pleasant, pronounced woodiness. On top of the woody heart note are fruity notes that are subtler than say your typical Cambodian or Thai oil, while certainly adding sweetness to the profile. As the clarity and woody-fruity tones melt together, a unique Oud fragrance begins to emerge.

Mixed with the fruity top notes, the woodiness attains a sweetness reminiscent of cedarwood. But underneath the cedarwood lies a slight barnyard twinge–the only aspect of the oil that confesses its Assamese origins.

If someone told me this was a distillation of Crassna wood–I would believe them. In fact, I have smelled Crassna oils that have more of a barnyard element than Royal Assam. If someone told me that this was a co-distillation of Crassna and Malaccensis wood, then I would also believe them–because there is a lightness to Royal Assam that is uncharacteristic of both Indian and Cambodian/Thai oils.

However, in Royal Assam, Indian Oud lovers have found yet another interesting distillation from Aquilaria Agallocha to add to their collection. This oil is perfect for those days when you really want to wear an Indian Oud, but do not want everyone to pick up on those fecal and barnyard notes that you secretly love. This is a very balanced oil that one can find simple and easy enjoyment in wearing. It is not as overpowering as your typical Assam Oud, not as light as Borneo Oud, and not as sweet and fruity as a Cambodian/Thai oil. Royal Assam strikes a beautiful median, making it one of the more wearable Indian Ouds I have smelled.

But lovers of Assam Oud should also be aware that Royal Assam will not satisfy their deepest cravings for a funky Indian Oud. If you want a fragrance that epitomizes the classic Assam fragrance, then I would recommend Assam Organic. If you are not yet a fan of Assam Oud, then Royal Assam will give you a light introduction by which to gauge your tastes. But if you are a connoisseur and love to collect all the different types of precious Oud distillations, then Royal Assam is worth adding to your collection.

As Taha describes, there was no soaking involved in the distillation. The lack of fermentation prior to distillation explains the lack of fecal and barnyard notes. He also describes the use of pure drinking water rather than ground water. And this tweak is actually what I notice the most in terms of the oil’s scent profile. It is why Royal Assam smells so clean and even watery.

Royal Assam is a modern-day Indian Oud, whose wild and rough edges have been tamed and smoothed, producing one of the more wearable Indian Ouds I have come across so far. As with all Oud oils, age will only improve Royal Assam, and I look forward to seeing how this oil develops.

Currently available for $375, 2.5g.

Oud Sultani opens with the profound smell of resinous bubbling Oud chips. It is the unmistakable agarwood aroma–deep, resinous, woody, sweet, and everything in between I cannot describe. Catch a whiff and everything is suspended in fragrant exaltation. And I caught just such a whiff when I went to apply Oud Sultani. The fragrance immediately blossoms into an aromatic flurry reminiscent of the finest perfumes, with notes of ambergris and myrrh, and a pronounced floral sweetness that is so high you might think it is a Borneo oil.

As I walked outside, I could hardly tell if I was smelling Sultani or the floral breeze of Kauai. I checked my wrist repeatedly before realizing Sultani’s astonishingly floral element. My eyes close as I catch the aroma of Sultani again, sweet and melodious. I am left with feelings of gratitude for copper pot distillation.

Yes, it’s true–Oud Sultani does smell almost exactly the same as Oud Royale No. 1. And this alone is a remarkable fact. Both oils exude a classic royal agarwood fragrance–smooth, rich, luxurious, soft, deep, resinous, and balanced. When smelling these oils, I mindlessly know it does not get more Oudy than this!

So is Oud Sultani better than Oud Royale No. 1? Is Oud Sultani the greatest Oud oil Ensar has distilled?

These are difficult questions for me to answer. I have a small amount of Oud Royale No. 1, and I have been comparing the two Ouds. They are, for the most part, identical in terms of scent profile. Both oils come from jungles not too far from one another, and both oils were distilled from sinking-grade wood. One notable difference is that Oud Royale No. 1 has a remarkable depth and serenity. Royale has a darker woodier character, compared to Sultani’s lighter, livelier, sweeter, and more floral vibrancy. Ultimately, they are two sides of the same coin–yin and yang, the sun and the moon, like male and female twins. I can see myself reaching for Royale on some days, and on other days, Sultani would be my first pick. It is hard to place the oils against each other. However, I feel that Royale has the advantage of age–being over 30yrs old now. Sultani is only 12yrs old in comparison, which still makes it one of the oldest oils in my collection. I’m sure it will be a marvel to see where Oud Sultani is 10yrs from now!

Bubbling Oud chip

As for being the best Oud oil ever offered by Ensar Oud, Sultani surely ranks at the top of the list, in terms of sheer quality and purity of agarwood scent. It is Oud as incense, the smooth, delicious, and resinous fragrance of sinking grade chips–but on your wrist instead of your burner! When ordinary people come across chips of this quality, they save it for their burners. But when the artisan puts it in the stills, what we receive in the form of an oil is miraculous. In my opinion, Sultani is Oud oil of the highest possible calibre. It represents and epitomizes the heart of the Oud fragrance like no other oil I have smelled thus far. And I find Its purity is irresistible.

I also greatly enjoy the tenacious and resinous funkiness of Indian Oud, the fruity-sweetness of Cambodian oils, the light-woody-sweetness of Borneo oils. To me, those oils are diverse and have lots of character. And, to be honest, Oud Royale and Oud Sultani are in a different class altogether. In my opinion, they are not as accessible or “entertaining” as other Oud oils. There is no fruit here, no typical barnyard scent, nothing that you would superficially associate with Oud oils. Sultani and Royale are a pure agarwood scent, perfumes in and of themselves, offering only the truest agarwood scent possible. With these oils, you smell the heart of Oud directly, without anything in between. These are truly rare and worthy oils for the agarwood connoisseur to savor and appreciate.

Oils such as Sultani and Royale are suited for royalty, no doubt. They are completely uncommon distillations from wood that you can (typically) only dream of smelling in the form of an oil. They epitomize the luxuriousness, elegance, and sophistication that has kept Oud oil in the palaces for generations.

What is always amazing to me is how Oud oil–one essential oil–is just as rich, complex, and multi-faceted as the finest perfume. Perfumes generally consist of many different oils, artfully layered upon one another, from base to middle to top. And yet, one drop of Oud oil gives you that and much more. Oud Sultani exemplifies the reality of Oud as perfume. When I smell Oud Sultani, I feel as if I am smelling a finely crafted perfume that is at once sensitive and bold, luxurious and soft, exalted and rich, complex and unified.

Sinking-grade Oud wood

While Sultani begins with its lighter and more floral notes, in its dry down it reveals a warmer, more balsamic and woody character, without losing any of its floral tonality. The oil is perfect. All of the notes and tones bind together seamlessly into a single note, and nothing even remotely clouds the purest agarwood aroma. If you smell Oud Sultani, you will know why Ensar thinks more seriously about oil than his burner when he sees incense grade chips. Truly, nothing can compare. I believe it is the peak of agarwood distillation. Artisans and connoisseurs alike know that this is as good as it gets–and its better than I imagined.

Dear readers, FeelOud is a new vendor that has recently appeared on the online Oud scene. While I personally prefer to purchase oils from more experienced distillers, I feel it is commendable that FeelOud’s intentions are to make lower priced oils available so that more people can become familiar with the fragrance of Oud oil.

Truly, the nature of agarwood distillation is complex and difficult, with raw materials verging on extinct to nearly impossible to afford that hardly anyone can perform such an undertaking in the present-time–at least with the hopes of making it into a business. Nonetheless, FeelOud has ventured into this challenging territory with great enthusiasm.

FeelOud has kindly sent me samples of his first oils for my review, which I much appreciate. In opening the sample vials, I really had no idea what to expect. For one, I must admit that I was surprised to find that someone was attempting to become a vendor of Oud oils, as it is such a difficult, nuanced, and rarified affair. Nonetheless, I remained open, without any expectations as to what I might smell in the samples.

There are three classes of Oud oils on FeelOud, “Economy”, “Business”, and “First”. The Oud oils I received are from the “First Class” category, and are described as, “only pure Oud Oils of the highest quality. Exclusive, wild, aged oils or oils made by custom distillation.”  And now to my impressions:

Saudia:  This is advertised as a mukhallat. The notes of frankincense are quite obvious, as are spices, and some rose. It is a decent blend, and those who enjoy the typical smell of Arabian perfumes will enjoy this mukhallat. However, the Oud is not all that detectable.

Manuka Moataqq: This oil clearly smells Indian. Notes of sweet hay and a slight funkiness. The description states it is 20yrs old from Manipur, but the oil does not smell like it was distilled from wood that was sufficiently resinated. It does not have depth or a resinous profile.

Yangu Kingu: A Thai distillation of trees that are supposedly 20yrs old. The description states that the wood used in distillation is “black, brown, and white” agarwood . However, it lacks the resinous profile that is the signature of Oud oil distilled from essential oil rich wood. However, the oil is fruity and sweet and exhibits a typical Thai profile. But it lacks a base to support its top notes.

Thai Prince Kinamo: Top notes of fruit that make you think you are about to smell an oil like Oud Yusha or Yusuf, but then you are left hanging, because there’s nothing at the bottom. I do not believe this oil was distilled from sufficiently resinated agarwood. However, the oil does exhibit a pleasant fruity aroma.

Assam Blood: Top notes that are true to Assam Oud, but that eventually only lead into a flatter smell.

I truly applaud FeelOud’s efforts and ambitions in agarwood distillation. FeelOud is clearly not merely reselling oils, but is venturing into distilling his own oils–and I will be interested to see how his oils develop after he has really grown in the art of distillation. In the future, I sincerely hope that he decides to use higher quality raw materials, even if it means having to sell oils at a higher prices.