Castingshadows

@scentofsamadhi
Raj Khmer is a 2001 plantation oil from Cambodia. This is my first aged plantation oil as well as a pure cambodi and I have to say I’m in love.

Raj Khmer opens up with smoke and deep waves of charred molasses on a bed of dry woods and resinous, bubbling Oud. When I first smelled this I thought to myself “sweaty foot” haha but that quickly went away after several wearings. Raj Khmer is surprisingly clean yet it took a moment for my nose to calibrate.

The opening lasts for a solid hour before the resinous core shows up with dried fruits, smoked incense and almost a touch of florals. It’s interesting how the floral note itself isn’t something I can describe yet it evokes the feeling of some distant flower drunk on wine swirling around in a vat of balsamic incense. It’s very interesting indeed. From here it becomes deep and cooling. The smoke has now subsided and the drydown becomes brighter while retaining its original depth. The incense note maintains through the drydown until around 4 hours or so. After that it’s pure resin.

RK isn’t a loud oil by any means but it makes itself known. Depending on where you place the oil you’ll get subtle whaffs of Oud all day although no noticeable oil is left on your skin. Sometimes I can smell it the next day if I put some in my hair.

Zakir said this oil has been aging for almost 20 years and while my experience with aged Oud is limited I have to say this is incredibly smooth. The texture feels like soft fur to my nostrils and the oil itself is slightly viscous much like a nice balsamic glaze.

Overall this oil will have a place in my heart being my first Cambodi and I’m excited to explore more options in the future. Thanks for reading and have a great day everyone!
 

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Stan

Oud Beginner
It's a little like wine tasting; wet pebbles, harvest evening, sweaty socks type of thing. I tend to write differently to how I speak - nothing wrong with a dialect but when the creativity begins it comes from the persona, not the person. So, leaping shepherds and wet dog it is! lol
 
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