Tag Archives: ensar oud

Kambodi Kadeem: Old-School Cambodian Oud

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Ensar Oud’s Kambodi Kadeem is a special old-school Cambodi that has become my first choice for Cambodian Oud oil. A testament to the art and nuances of distillation, Kambodi Kadeem was crafted to capture the truest vintage Cambodi aroma–the aroma that defines “Cambodi”. For the sake of comparison, Ensar sent me a sample vial of a Cambodian Oud oil from 1976. I have found that Kambodi Kadeem is a true testament to this beautifully aged old-school Cambodian oil. In this review, I will compare the two oils, as I unravel the true Cambodi scent.

Kambodi Kadeem opens with a sweet woody note with dark ripe berries swirling in the midst. The initial aroma is somewhat mossy and possesses an “allure” and “lift” that reminds me of animal fixatives. It is a piercing, sharp, and very clear fragrance–the signs of a mature well-harvested tree and a finely aged oil. Each note is discernible and yet fully integrated into the whole of the aroma. Minutes later, a more pungent base note begins to show its colors. The top note teases tart. As a whole, the aroma is juicy and delectable, you want to keep breathing it in, receiving wave after aromatic wave. On the wrist, it has nice sillage, much more than I expected. It also has excellent tenacity and will not even enter the dry down phase for quite a while.

What really strikes me about Kambodi Kadeem is that the fruity notes are well-balanced. This is perhaps the first time I have smelled such a balance of fruit notes in a Cambodian oil. KK has those dark unctuous jam-like tones, but it is incredibly sophisticated about it. The vibe of this oil is at once luxurious and sophisticated, gentlemanly and vintage. Many Cambodian oils have a fruity aroma that is a bit untamed–it jumps out with a kind of excitement and overpowers the more subtle aromas present in the oil. But KK has a smooth and soft appeal. It is a finished product and boasts its aromatic integration with a regal flair. This is an Oud oil that is friendly to the Western palate, and also suitable for the most formal occasions. Rarely have I encountered both qualities in a single Oud oil. Indian oils are too pungent for social occasions and best utilized alone (at least in the US), and most Cambodian oils are too fruity for my taste. I feel funny wearing such a fruity fragrance in formal settings. In other words, Kambodi Kadeem has some real style–it is waiting to make you feel suave.

The dry down is equally as intriguing as the opening notes. This oil has a beautiful finish on the skin that I cannot quite describe. All of the woody, pungent, fruity notes blend together to create something new that has the most subtle hints of fine leather. An intoxciating and beautiful fragrance, Kambodi Kadeem is at once strong and delicate, earthy and flowery, old-school and completely new.

The 1976 Cambodi is one of the most beautiful Oud oils I have had the pleasure to smell. For me, it ranks with Oud Sultani. One thing I cannot emphasize enough about the ’76 Cambodi is age. The age of this oil gives it a unique quality and power, a maturity and depth of aroma that I have only smelled in the original Oud Royale from ’82. All of you private collectors out there: if you have any doubts about how well your Oud oil will age or if it will even significantly improve in the coming years, let me tell you that it most certainly will! Alongside giving me a peek into the history of Cambodian Oud, the ’76 Cambodi also shows me the true potential of aging Oud oil–the true meaning of “vintage”. It is this vintage quality in the oil that is so intoxicating. In terms of aroma, the scent is similar to Kambodi Kadeem in its balance, its subtleties, its utter sophistication. This oil reminds me of deer musk a bit and a little of Chinese Exclusive as well. Altogether, this oil is in a class of its own–I will be most curious to see how Kambodi Kadeem develops over the next 40 years! In terms of aroma, vibe, and quality the two oils are strikingly similar. A good nose will be able to smell KK’s future. But, in the present moment, there is no way to fairly compare two oils with such a tremendous age difference!

I can very clearly smell the “mood” of old-school Cambodis in both of these oils. I find it remarkable that KK even resembles the ’76 Cambodi as much as it does. The distillation of KK deserves some attention and appreciation on the part of connoisseurs. On the page for KK, Ensar has links for a 10-part series that shows the making of Kambodi Kadeem. I highly encourage everyone to watch these and witness the amount of work that goes into producing oils of this stature. Commendable and inspiring–my hat is off to Ensar Oud on this one.

Oud Mostafa (No. 4)

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MostafaWhen I received a sample vial in the mail labeled “Oud Mostafa“, I thought it must have been a mistake. Why was Ensar sending me a sample of the legendary and long sold-out Oud Mostafa? He knows I have a full bottle–and I have already reviewed the oil and proclaimed it as one of my favorites for some time now. It was atypical of Ensar to make a mistake, to mislabel, or to just arbitrarily throw in a sample of an old oil. When I opened the vial to smell the oil, it was unmistakably similar to Oud Mostafa, which made me even more doubtful that the vial was mislabeled. I began to postulate that perhaps Ensar had extra Oud Mostafa and that he was just throwing it in for fun. There was nothing on the surface of the scent that distinguished it from the Oud Mostafa I have known and loved all these years.

Finally, I wrote Ensar an email expressing my bewilderment about this sample vial. He gave me a simple reply that it was actually a new Oud Mostafa. A new Oud Mostafa? I thought. You have to be kidding me.

Now, I opened the sample vial with an entirely new sense of vigor and wonder. I applied it to my skin and smelled its evolution over the next few hours. Right off the bat, it was clear to me that this oil had the signature Oud Mostafa scent: a pungent resinous aroma that wafts like incense smoke with the smell of mature ripe fruits floating atop, and a barely detectable but still tangible sweetness beneath. What I love most about the original Oud Mostafa is how sharp, penetrating, and diffuse the aroma is. In Mostafa No. 4, I found that exact sharpness, that same penetrating resinous pungency with ripe fruits that I had only known in the original.

I never would have guessed that this was not an Indian oil, until I saw Ensar’s formal launch of the oil with a description of its Cambodian origin! As if I had not been puzzled enough, this was the icing on the cake! Here I was enjoying the inexplicable similarities between Mostafa No. 4 and the original, and all the while, it is a Cambodian oil!

I decided I had to spend some time with this oil. However, even after having worn it many times, my conclusions and sense of the oil are still the same as when I first opened the sample vial. This oil possesses the signature aroma of Oud Mostafa–a synergy of notes coupled with an intensity, sharpness, and tenacity that I have not found in any other oils. I am, of course, ecstatic to have found all of these qualities duplicated in Mostafa No. 4, and with its own unique twist.

I will make a bold statement here and express my feeling that Mostafa No. 4 actually outdoes the original Mostafa in some aspects. It has a sweetness and balance to its funk that make it more wearable, refined, and elegant. The original Oud Mostafa is a real blast of a smell–it is the primal agarwood aroma, the scent that satiates, embodies, and exemplifies the purest and most intoxicating agarwood aroma. But I do not wear it too often. Why? Certainly I find myself in the classic dilemma of revering the oil to the degree that I do not want to deplete my one and only bottle too quickly. More significantly, I find Oud Mostafa to be overpoweringly pungent, and it has such strong sillage that I cannot really wear it too often, because I know its pungency will reach the nostrils of everyone around me–and not only that, it will leave a trail wherever I go! It is an oil to be enjoyed in solitude more than anything else.

In Oud Mostafa No. 4, we have a very wearable scent that still possesses my favorite notes from the original. For one, it is quite remarkable to me that this oil smells like the original. It is distilled from entirely different raw materials that are even from a different region. I honestly cannot account for what I smell in this case, and simply take it to be an example of true artistry. Another unique aspect of Mostafa No. 4 is that after a while, I can really smell the wood that went into this oil. I start to perceive the aroma of a densely resinated Oud chip being brought to my nose–the delectable resinous sweet depthful aroma that no one can really describe in its fullness. In this oil, the smell of Oud wood is truly exquisite, and it expresses itself with such finesse. In some sense, Mostafa No. 4 has a delicacy and balance that is not in its original predecessor. The original simply has more of a masculine and yang intensity, while Mostafa No. 4 shows a yin equanimity.

I’m very impressed with this oil. I don’t know how it ended up being so similar to the original Mostafa, but I’m quite happy about it, especially since it is only $350! I always regretted not buying a second bottle of the original, but now I can finally shed that regret. The original Mostafa was distilled from incense-grade wood from 80yr old wild trees. Mostafa No. 4 was distilled from cultivated incense-grade wood from Cambodia. How these two share the similarities they do will always be a mystery to me–but one that I happily embrace with each swipe of this oil. Having written this review, I still feel as though I’ve been modest in my expression of what this oil has to offer. It may be one of Ensar’s best distillations to date for its integration, balance, equanimity, and rich scent profile. Besides the original Oud Mostafa and Oud Sulaiman, I have never smelled this synergy of notes in another oil.

I also want to say that as a rule I never read Ensar’s descriptions of the oil before writing my own. This is because I do not want any descriptions influencing my mind and unconsciously filtering into my own writing. I saw that Ensar had released this oil, and I scrolled down far enough past the old description to see that it was Cambodian and then I closed my browser, mouth agape! I will now read the full story behind this oil and see if my nose has led me in the right direction or not…

Borneo 50K

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Borneo50KLovers of the legendary Borneo 3000 and Borneo Kinam have reason to rejoice with the release of Borneo 50K — a classy Borneo oil that combines elements of both oils with its own unique twists.

Borneo 50K opens with elegant displays of honey and vanilla top notes that ride above a rich and resinous woodiness. Upon first swiping the oil, I was reminded of the rich, creamy, and balsamic-woody fragrance of some of the best vintage Mysore Sandalwood. It is an aroma that sparkles and glistens on your skin, hovering its aroma above your wrists, tingling with life and indescribable aromatic textures.

The honeyed-vanilla-sweetness begins to fuse with the woodier tones, creating a beautiful earthy aroma that also reveals more of Borneo 50K’s resinous core. At this stage, the oil reminds me a lot of Mitti Attar with its sweet earthy notes.

This oil is definitely unique among Borneos I’ve smelled. It is somewhere in between the aroma of Borneo Kinam and Borneo 3000. The vanilla is much more balanced and integrated than in Borneo 3000, and the sweetness is not as sharp. Its sparkling woodiness is reminiscent of Borneo Kinam, but it is not quite as woody as Kinam. Somewhere in between, with some vintage Mysore and Mitti Attar mixed in, there is an aromatic approximation of Borneo 50K. As for the mintiness Ensar describes in the official description of the oil, I have to say that it is perceptible as a kind of surrounding aroma, radiating at the edges of the fragrance’s core. It is a pristine herbaceousness that makes you feel “clean”, as if you are standing in the depths of a rainforest after a fresh rain.

But that is not saying much for the experience of wearing it. As a fragrance, it is incredibly smooth — perhaps the smoothest Borneo I have worn so far. I swiped it in the morning. It is now evening and Borneo 50K remains nicely perceptible on my wrist. I can’t say whether or not it outlasts previous Borneo releases since I have not conducted a simultaneous comparison yet, but I am certainly pleased with its longevity.

Expectedly, Borneo 50K is not very diffuse. However, unlike other Borneo oils, Borneo 50K is noticeably less “airy”, exuding a surprisingly grounding feel. I find that I really enjoy this aspect of 50K because it is something not found in other Borneo oils in my collection.

Borneo 50K has a lot to offer as a fragrance — and, like all fantastic Oud oils, is as much of  an aesthetic experience as it is an aromatic one.A complex fragrance with real aromatic depth and subtle nuance, 50K offers a scent that will not be totally “familiar” to Borneo lovers. For collectors, I would say there is no reason to hesitate in buying this oil. For someone looking for a great Borneo oil because they love Borneo oils and can’t stand the Indian funk, then Borneo 50K is a worthy addition to your collection. I personally wasn’t sure how different or unique the fragrance would really be in light of previous (now legendary) Borneo releases. But now I can say that 50K does offer virtues entirely of its own that are sure to be appreciated by those who come experience its aroma.

All of this said, I have only begun to explore the oil. I hope what I have written here will be useful for those curious about the oil, but I expect to discover much more in future wearings.

Bois de Borneo: Organic Oud From Borneo

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BoisDeBorneoBois de Borneo. Finally an organic Borneo Oud! I have been waiting for this for a while now. I always want to use some Borneo Oud in my perfumes–but when my Borneo collection consists of vintage oils that originally cost around $500, I begin to have second thoughts. At $350, Bois de Borneo offers a more affordable price-tag than its legendary predecessors and may solve my perfumery dilemmas. But more importantly, how does it smell?

Bois de Borneo is a classic Borneo oil. Sweet, smooth, and sensual, Bois de Borneo quickly meets my expectations for a quality Borneo Oud oil. Light but tenacious, this oil wears nicely on my skin with its aroma still perceptible hours later.

Bois de Borneo opens with the most pronounced and sensual vanilla note I have smelled in a Borneo oil so far. For a while, all I can smell and think is vanilla. But rather than being a nice accent or top note, the vanilla odor surrounds and pervades the body of the fragrance, enriching it from inside out, top to bottom. The fragrance of vanilla is so clear and persistent that it is even comparable to smelling a bottle of vanilla oleoresin or absolute.

Paired with this now-balmy vanilla aroma is the amazing sweetness that lends Borneo Oud its popularity. Bois de Borneo passes the sweetness test with flying colors, becoming one of the sweetest Borneo oils I have smelled. I find its aroma to be surprisingly addicting with great allure.

In the dry down, this oil reveals a more woody character, as a note of cedarwood begins to emerge. The woodiness seems to sparkle in this oil. I particularly like the way the woody tones come to life in the dry down phase, without dropping any of the sweetness from earlier. Instead, the fragrance fuses together as it unfolds. The honeyed-sweetness sits on top of a fresh earthiness that is not too pronounced. It is the subtle fragrance of the outdoors just after a rain. Imagine blending a few drops of Mitti Attar in a Borneo oil and you can approximate the aroma. Moist, somewhat grassy, and earthy-sweet. The earthy element of Bois de Borneo is definitely a unique and welcome twist.

A pleasure from start to finish, Bois de Borneo is perfect for a hot summer day and has a noticeable uplifting effect. With their smooth airiness and sweet aroma, I’ve always found Borneo oils to be an almost immediate mood enhancer. And Bois de Borneo is one of the first oils I’ll reach for on a summer morning. I can even see myself swiping this oil more than once on any given day.

While some may wonder how this oil compares to more legendary releases such as Borneo Kinam and Borneo 3000, I must say that Bois de Borneo deserves to be smelled in its own right. What I can say is that Bois de Borneo has a very well-developed aroma that holds its own quite well.

Bois de Borneo is the first organic Borneo Oud I have seen, but I certainly hope there is more to come. I hardly find much merit in making organic/wild distinctions anymore, because these organic Oud oils are every bit as enjoyable as the wild vintage oils in my collection. In fact, there is an aspect of the organic oils that I enjoy even more, because they are cheaper, and a step toward sustainability and right cultivation. When I smell a vintage oil, I know I am smelling the past and the last of its kind. But organic oils impart a feeling of hope for the future of agarwood. With the devastation of wild agarwood trees in Borneo, I am relieved to see an organic distillation of such quality. May there be many more oils like this one!

Kyara Koko

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Kyara KokohA new and yet-to-be-released parfum from Ensar Oud, Kyara Koko is beautifully rich, warm, and sensuous. The name is a clear allusion to the famous Baieido Incense, “Kyara Kokoh“–20 sticks of which currently sell for $829.50. Does the perfume live up to the incense by the same name? You will have to see for yourself! I have actually not burned Baiedo’s Kyara Kokoh before, but in light of this perfume, I will have to check it out and see how it compares.

Koko opens with a velvety texture of animalic notes that turn sweet before you can find the funk. As the parfum begins to expand, its complexity unravels. With such intricacy and nuance, I suspect that many different oils were used in Koko’s composition, yet not a single one stands out individually. Having made a few perfumes myself, I  can appreciate the artistry in crafting a perfume that confidently boasts a single fragrance–the alchemy of a new scent, rather than an amalgamation of various scents. If I had to compare Kyara Koko to another oil, I would say that it reminds me of Amulya Attar. Amulya Attar is the most complex perfume I have smelled, composed of over 60 ingredients, mostly focused on precious Indian florals. But as with Kyara Koko, its core aroma is completely unique, unified, and intoxicating.

I have little to say about the ingredients used in Kyara Koko, because they are largely undetectable to me as individual components. Rather, Koko radiates a whole fragrance,  a sweet-spicy Oudiness with civet-like undertones. The end result is a deliciously incensey fragrance. Incense lovers really have much to look forward to in this perfume. In terms of color, think purple. Deep purple. For an Oud-based perfume, I find that Koko beautifully expresses its Oudiness while also blending in well, making for a deliciously smooth and well-rounded fragrance.

What also stands out to me in Kyara Koko is its tenacity. It may be the most tenacious perfume I have smelled from Ensar Oud so far. Radiating on my wrist, Koko surrounds me in its fragrant aura. And I can smell its remnants on my wrist the next morning. I really love a perfume that can maintain itself like this. I have found myself addicted to this perfume as of late, discovering something else with each new wearing.

Kyara Koko is a full-bodied perfume of mystery and confidence, suitable for man or woman, and great to wear out in the evening. Its sensual and aristocratic vibe is sure to catch the attention of anyone who crosses its path.

Encens Imperial

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EncensImperial

Encens Imperial is the most unusual Indian Oud I have smelled so far. The fragrance catches me off guard when it opens with a very potent top note. As the opening aroma meets my nose, I am greeted with an incredibly strong and crystalline aroma that smells almost medicinal and that is initially off-putting. By describing it as “medicinal”, I am intending to convey something of its potency, depth, and healing potential, as well as its “concentrated” aroma. After all, Oud has been used as medicine in the ancient healing traditions of the East–and when I smell a note like this, I remember why. It is one of the strongest notes I have encountered in an Oud oil so far.

This mysterious crystalline note is shrouded by a more traditional Indian aroma of sweet hay and woods, and a gentle barnyard tease. But as I smell my wrist over and over again, it is that top note that I am constantly reaching for. And it is quite playful–sometimes elusive, and at other times floating at the top, or sinking underneath the base notes, only to be found in the last seconds of the inhalation. As the fragrance unfolds, I realize that this mysterious “top note” actually pervades the aroma, top to bottom.

Within minutes, I am addicted to the singing clarity of Encens Imperial. It is an Indian Oud that possesses the clarity, beauty, and sensuality of the finest Borneo Ouds without sacrificing its Indian roots. Usually with Indian Oud, the woods, the hay, the resin, all of it mixes together into a “thick” fragrance. Yet Encens Imperial maintains a smooth, water-like clarity, without compromising any tenacity or potency.

In the official description for Encens Imperial, Ensar writes:

There might be no Kyara in Assam. But only in Assam do you find Muana, a heart note of serenity not even Kyara can capture, and just as rare. You might have smelled it when burning crazy-grade Assam wood chips, but pick it up in an oud oil… this is a first.

So what is Muana? It is hard for me to say exactly what Ensar means by using this term. In my own feeling, Muana is the defining aroma of Encens Imperial. It is that mysterious crystalline note at the heart of Encens Imperial that will puzzle your olfactory sensibilities. In its opening, it is the clearest top note I have ever smelled in an Indian Oud. As it wears, it dances and blends into the woodier undertones, and I’m smelling highly-resinated Oud chips on my wrist. This is my best guess as to what Muana refers to.

In the drydown, Encens Imperial emerges as more of a unified composition. Everything has integrated, revealing a deep and resinous profile, with accents of spice and a defined woodiness. The end result? The intoxicating aroma of incense-grade Indian Oud chips on your wrist.

Oud as incense has been the theme and goal of Ensar’s most recent releases. He has been emphasizing the true goal of Oud distillation as Oud oil that smells like incense. By incense, I feel he means a purity of scent. And Encens Imperial certainly fits into that category with its clear piercing aroma.

Ensar’s Indian Oud oils are undeniably his most diverse offerings–each one is a world of its own. So far, I have yet to smell any two that are similar. I think back to Legends such as Oud Mostafa and Oud Nuh. Encens Imperial is not the bottle I personally would reach for when I want to wear an Indian Oud. It is not as smooth and balanced as some of Ensar’s other Indian oils. Rather, Encens Imperial is an Oud I would save more for medicinal or meditative use. Assam lovers will find something very atypical in Encens Imperial, as it smells nothing like my other Assam oils. I almost forgot it was from Assam.

Clear, beautiful, and potent enough to be healing–Encens Imperial is an oil for the adventurous to explore.

But Muana doesn’t end with Encens Imperial, as I recently received a sample of an unreleased oil called “Muana LTD”…

Oud Yusha: Cambodia’s Fruit Bowl

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Oud Yusha. A very fruity Cambodian oil that is deeply resinous and honey-sweet. If you can hear and feel the word “Yusha” then you have an audible allegory for its fragrance. It is very much like strawberry jam. The notes of amber are really nice and bright, making this an upbeat and lively oil.

Yusha smells nearly identical to Agar Aura’s Oud Kampuchea. But Yusha’s fruits are darker, and its amber notes are more pronounced. Altogether, Yusha is a livelier and brighter oil–a younger sister of Oud Kampuchea.

What is really worth noting here is that Oud Yusha was distilled from organically cultivated agarwood, and that Kampuchea was distilled from wild agarwood that was approximated to have an infection of 7-9 years. The mere facts of these oils would have one envisioning two totally different scents. And yet, we have nearly identical oils.

This is not to say that organic oils are identical to wild oils. That is a unique play between these two oils in particular, somehow. But it is deeply suggestive of the potential of organic Oud.

Oud Yusha lets me forget about “organic” and “wild”, and just revel in the beauty of artisanally distilled Oud oil of the highest quality. A fruity gem–I recommend Oud Yusha to all lovers of fruity Cambodian oils, as Yusha epitomizes the fruity-Cambodian profile. Start your day with Oud Yusha, you won’t regret it!

Cultivation: Trat
Crafted: July 2010
Yield: 22 tolas
Price: $250 (currently on sale for $229.95)

Oud Yusuf: A Floral Dream

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Oud Yusuf is an instant favorite, leaving me immediately spell-bound and constantly wanting more of its rapturous aroma. What a gentle Oud with so much character. Yusuf is a distillation masterpiece. The ethical standards and sheer artistic vision that went into Yusuf, make it a shining example of artisanal Oud oil. The fragrance is clean, clear, and elegantly punctuated with the freshness of florals. This is the floral Oud of my dreams.

I have never smelled lilacs or lilies, but there are clear and watery floral notes in Yusuf that are impossible to miss. In its higher register, there is a note of Violet Leaf piercing through the body of the oil, but so subtly that it even seems to barely lurk there. The florals are white, purple, and light blue.

However, Oud Yusuf is unmistakably Cambodian in its harmony of sweet juicy fruits. Apricot pervades the oil and remains constant amidst its evolution. Peaches lurk and mingle behind it. Ensar’s mention of honeydew is also very accurate.

Yusuf is “light” in the sense that it has a very feminine quality. It is soft, it nearly caresses its wearer, and draws one into a sensual domain that even epitomizes the finest Borneo oils. But this oil is potent and is definitely not invisible on the skin.

I can now resonate with why Ensar was applying Yusuf four to five times a day. It is among the most addictive Oud oils I have ever smelled. Absolutely delicious, succulent, beautiful. Yusuf gives me visions of a lotus pond under a cool night, surrounded by the air of plumerias, and mist of a freshly-fallen light rain.

Easily one of the finest Oud oils I have smelled, I can see why Ensar projects its maturation equaling and perhaps even exceeding that of Borneo 3000. Oud Yusuf is an oil to remember, an oil to truly enjoy and savor. The “powdered woody finish” was most unexpected, but Yusuf does ultimately yield a sweet powdery woodiness that does not leave behind any of the fruits or flowers. Absolutely gorgeous. No one should miss out on Oud Yusuf, especially for its price, it is a gift to the agarwood world and a sign of ethical harvestation.

Cultivation: Trat
Crafted: 2011
Yield: 115 tolas
Price: $250 (on sale for $229.95)

Oud Khidr: The Fragrant Heart of India

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Oud Khidr. Thick. Black. Potent. Indian. This is Oud. This is why I love Oud. This is what I am always searching for. The rich and deeply resinous aroma of Oud Khidr freshly permeates the air, exhibiting the darkest barnyard character that I have smelled in an Indian oil so far. And yet it is so clean and smooth. There is even a sweetness tingling in its resinous purity. Tone down Oud Mostafa’s fruitiness, deepen and darken its Indian notes as much as possible, and you have something similar to Khidr. Both are epitome Oud fragrances–Khidr moreso in the sense that its scent profile is more classically Indian.

Khidr is a strong and powerful fragrance. It’s aroma hovers above my wrists. The inhalations are not deep enough to reach the bottom of this scent. There is more that I cannot express. Creamy in the mid-range, but only subtly. The body of this oil is the core of the fragrance. I return to my wrists to go back for more–and there is always more. Khidr ultimately dries to down a pristine nutty-spiciness that is a fresh breath of jungle air with hints of cardamom.

Oud Khidr takes me back home, to the sacred and fragrant heart of India. A breath of Khidr is a fragrant taste of sacred history. Khidr is the Oud spoken of since ancient times, the primordial and timeless fragrance used in many different religious and Spiritual traditions for its absolutely powerful, rich, deep, and penetrating aroma. Khidr is the Oud that has perplexed mystics for ages with its uniquely complex and living aroma.

A must have for all lovers of Indian Oud oil, I deeply recommend Oud Khidr to everyone who is interested in tasting the essence and epitome of pure Indian Oud oil of the highest calibre. Wild-harvested from trees at least seventy to eighty years old in the jungle of North Cachar.

Junge: North Cachar
Crafted: January 2009
Yield: 20 tolas
Price: $550
Status: LTD

Pure Transcendence: Green Oud

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Although I’ve found that Oud oils that possess the greener notes tend to be on the lighter and airy side (where I prefer more body), the Kyara note remains one of the most tantalizing and profound olfactory experiences. I wanted to share the following description from Ensar of the various green notes one can find in Oud oil:

ENSAR: There are several types of ‘green’ when it comes to Oud. There is the green of gyrinops trees, which grow in West Papua. This is a leafy, damp jungle air green that is fresh and full of energy. Depending on how it is distilled, it might evoke anything from violet leaf absolute to Vicks Vaporub.

Then there is tea green. A more astringent note, laden with incense smoke, this is found in aquilaria crassna. The higher the grade of wood used to distill the Oud, the crisper and more crystal clear this green note will resonate.

Until you reach the ultimate Kyara green. This is pure transcendence. Aquilaria sinensis is the Oud wood that yields this note, if distilled with care. Yet if the grade of crassna is high enough, you will get the same Kyara note in a super fine crassna oil.

Personally, I find the sinensis oils to be a bit smoky in the top and heart notes. A premium crassna oil will yield a green that is as immaculate as Japanese sencha tea that simply dissolves in water.

Green Kyara, wood chip (1g)