Shabby

Junior Member
Oh, I will share with the greatest happiness uncle @Rai Munir!

I just have a standard 20 litre copper still which I got based on recommendations in this wonderful facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1397983977111787/

A 20 litre still is the recommended beginner's size. I think frankincense is a wonderful substance to start with because it gives a high yield, so even if you make a mistake or get a lower yield than expected (which has happened to me every time so far), you should still get some essential oil from it, and that will give you an immense magical gratitude which I am guessing is the key to distillation.

The main challenge seems to be keeping the condenser cool. I would recommend a simple aquarium pump to start as well as some ice. Even if you do a distillation of a few hours it would satisfy you, and those two - the aquarium pump and ice will be enough. I was able to get my oils with simply those two, although it involved some dedication (two nights of waking up every two hours to refill the container with ice). In my pictures the aquarium pump is inside the silver container (for the steam distillation), and out of shot for the hydro distillation picture.

If you get a still with a column, then you can do steam distillations as well as hydro distillations, so I would highly recommend it.

Finally I would recommend you get a separating funnel as well, although even that is not strictly necessary (you could use a syringe to help separate the oil from the hydrosol, especially if you have a collector which has a narrow neck - see my pictures of the glass bottle).

I am enclosing some pictures of the rudimentary set ups which I used, as well as the fractions I was able to get. If you want to know any more please ask, although maybe it would be easier to speak on the phone.

IMG_1574.jpg 88CC0F1C-9BE0-4F8A-9DC3-AE57AEB517AE.JPG

P.s. Can you believe that dark oil came from the base of the sacra hydrodistillation? The scent lasts for hours!

P.p.s Expect some spilling, leaking, and various other inconveniences in your first few attempts as you try to see how to cool the condenser. The untidiness of my pictures is unseemly but it corresponds to my amateur attempts!
 

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Al Shareef Oudh

Master Perfumer
There is also hardly any left due to the fact the previous governments haven't bothered to protect them at all.
Very fair point you raise dear Hamza, the musk deer in Kashmir, Tibet, Afghanistan, Pakistan are all endangered animals and very low population. For example in some of the regions musk deer had not been sighted by scientists for decades.

For this reason unless one has trusted well reputed sources, it can be very difficult to be certain regarding what musk is in hand. Very similar to oudh in some countries, hunters and traders are always claiming to have products from the most difficult nooks in order to demand higher prices, but who really knows what and where the product is really from.
 

Hamza H

Resident Artisan
Very fair point you raise dear Hamza, the musk deer in Kashmir, Tibet, Afghanistan, Pakistan are all endangered animals and very low population. For example in some of the regions musk deer had not been sighted by scientists for decades.

For this reason unless one has trusted well reputed sources, it can be very difficult to be certain regarding what musk is in hand. Very similar to oudh in some countries, hunters and traders are always claiming to have products from the most difficult nooks in order to demand higher prices, but who really knows what and where the product is really from.

It's really a shame that. I was listening to a Mufit Menk lecture 2 days explaining that all the modern regulation we see about protecting the environment and endangered species and so on. It was really Islam 1400 years that has laid the groundwork for this and we find this in our religion about other creatures and the environment and the sanctity and protection of it.

Ninjarobb's post about the increase in the Deer population over in some parts of Siberia is very nice to read, InshAllah in the Muslim lands the same occurs.
 

Rasoul Salehi

True Ouddict
Oh, I will share with the greatest happiness uncle @Rai Munir!

I just have a standard 20 litre copper still which I got based on recommendations in this wonderful facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1397983977111787/

A 20 litre still is the recommended beginner's size. I think frankincense is a wonderful substance to start with because it gives a high yield, so even if you make a mistake or get a lower yield than expected (which has happened to me every time so far), you should still get some essential oil from it, and that will give you an immense magical gratitude which I am guessing is the key to distillation.

The main challenge seems to be keeping the condenser cool. I would recommend a simple aquarium pump to start as well as some ice. Even if you do a distillation of a few hours it would satisfy you, and those two - the aquarium pump and ice will be enough. I was able to get my oils with simply those two, although it involved some dedication (two nights of waking up every two hours to refill the container with ice). In my pictures the aquarium pump is inside the silver container (for the steam distillation), and out of shot for the hydro distillation picture.

If you get a still with a column, then you can do steam distillations as well as hydro distillations, so I would highly recommend it.

Finally I would recommend you get a separating funnel as well, although even that is not strictly necessary (you could use a syringe to help separate the oil from the hydrosol, especially if you have a collector which has a narrow neck - see my pictures of the glass bottle).

I am enclosing some pictures of the rudimentary set ups which I used, as well as the fractions I was able to get. If you want to know any more please ask, although maybe it would be easier to speak on the phone.

View attachment 5463 View attachment 5464

P.s. Can you believe that dark oil came from the base of the sacra hydrodistillation? The scent lasts for hours!

P.p.s Expect some spilling, leaking, and various other inconveniences in your first few attempts as you try to see how to cool the condenser. The untidiness of my pictures is unseemly but it corresponds to my amateur attempts!
@Shabby
I am beyond stoked and thrilled for you. This is terrific. Enjoy the process. On a dif note have u watched norm Macdonald has a show? What u think.
 

Rasoul Salehi

True Ouddict
Thank you my friend! Well, for me Norm Macdonald is the last hope of Western civilisation...but I think you’d have to already think that to enjoy the new show.
Funny u say that. Background info and knowing the guy and what he is about is required to get his comedy.
 

Himanshu Sharma

True Ouddict
Hi all
I have recently started to look into tincturing and macerating deer musk/ambergris.
I would love to make my own tinctures or macerates in near future. I have a couple of naive questions. I would really appreciate if someone could elaborate a little.

When we say 10% deermusk tincture. Does it essentially mean w/w or w/v ? For example 10% w/w would mean 10g grains and 90g alcohol whereas 10% w/v would mean 10g grains in 90ml of alcohol ?
Would using a deermusk tincture for an attar composition make it too runny ? I have ALD Siberian Musk attar and it's quite runny, which makes me think a deermusk tinture has been used for the same.

Thanks in advance.
I am thoroughly enjoying the things i learn on here, on everyday basis.
 

Rai Munir

Musk Man
Oh, I will share with the greatest happiness uncle @Rai Munir!

I just have a standard 20 litre copper still which I got based on recommendations in this wonderful facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1397983977111787/

A 20 litre still is the recommended beginner's size. I think frankincense is a wonderful substance to start with because it gives a high yield, so even if you make a mistake or get a lower yield than expected (which has happened to me every time so far), you should still get some essential oil from it, and that will give you an immense magical gratitude which I am guessing is the key to distillation.

The main challenge seems to be keeping the condenser cool. I would recommend a simple aquarium pump to start as well as some ice. Even if you do a distillation of a few hours it would satisfy you, and those two - the aquarium pump and ice will be enough. I was able to get my oils with simply those two, although it involved some dedication (two nights of waking up every two hours to refill the container with ice). In my pictures the aquarium pump is inside the silver container (for the steam distillation), and out of shot for the hydro distillation picture.

If you get a still with a column, then you can do steam distillations as well as hydro distillations, so I would highly recommend it.

Finally I would recommend you get a separating funnel as well, although even that is not strictly necessary (you could use a syringe to help separate the oil from the hydrosol, especially if you have a collector which has a narrow neck - see my pictures of the glass bottle).

I am enclosing some pictures of the rudimentary set ups which I used, as well as the fractions I was able to get. If you want to know any more please ask, although maybe it would be easier to speak on the phone.

View attachment 5463 View attachment 5464

P.s. Can you believe that dark oil came from the base of the sacra hydrodistillation? The scent lasts for hours!

P.p.s Expect some spilling, leaking, and various other inconveniences in your first few attempts as you try to see how to cool the condenser. The untidiness of my pictures is unseemly but it corresponds to my amateur attempts!
Dear Shabby, it was posted in Sep. 2018. And I got it realized in June 2020.

I am truly thankful to you for all. You were my inspiration, and you enabled me to succeed. Otherwise, I contacted a lot of distillers, and wrote to many, but always met with elusive and equivocal replies as if I were getting myself ready to dethrone them:Roflmao:.

I am now working on different projects, but majorly I am working on co distillations and infusions.

Frangipani I have plucked is around 7 kg, and have preserved the petals in fridge. Now I have to collect more to initiate a distillation at a micro level. My focus is to experience how a fresh pure oil smells and tastes.

Last mini venture of Sandal, Rose, Lemon Grass and Mace went exceedingly well.

Here I am to thank you again.:praying:
 
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Shabby

Junior Member
@Rai Munir So happy that you could get started with your distillations. I too am planning to do frangipani next, hoping to codistill with ceylon sandal...I think we have both reached the same conclusions about infusions and codistillations! :D

I myself am only a beneficiary of Taha, JK, and others in the oud and frankincense community who reacted positively to my oils. Without Taha, learning about distillation would have been impossible for me. Unlike the distillers you described, he was open and beyond generous. His example of checking on the still every 15 minutes without fail and his submission to the raw material is deeply imprinted in me. JK also helped me to believe in my product by buying my oils and having an interest in them, so I am very grateful to him too.

We all benefit from your distillations, no doubt! Wish you every success! Barakallahu fik.
 

Rai Munir

Musk Man
Shabby!! So nice to see you here :D
I will be trying to create some animalic tinctures in the next month, think I'll buy musk grains, abergris, hyaceum, civet & castoreum and try to create some spray tinctures that I can use as fixatives
It can replace Kouros. Not kidding.

Do you plan to make each tincture separately or some other idea is there in your mind?
 

Rai Munir

Musk Man
@Rai Munir So happy that you could get started with your distillations. I too am planning to do frangipani next, hoping to codistill with ceylon sandal...I think we have both reached the same conclusions about infusions and codistillations! :D

I myself am only a beneficiary of Taha, JK, and others in the oud and frankincense community who reacted positively to my oils. Without Taha, learning about distillation would have been impossible for me. Unlike the distillers you described, he was open and beyond generous. His example of checking on the still every 15 minutes without fail and his submission to the raw material is deeply imprinted in me. JK also helped me to believe in my product by buying my oils and having an interest in them, so I am very grateful to him too.

We all benefit from your distillations, no doubt! Wish you every success! Barakallahu fik.
Infusion and co-distillation rock!

Today plucked four kg plus fresh Plumeria. And some kg dried petals I already have.


IMG20200628185229.jpg


If I could get only 0.3 ml, it will be enough. This time not going to distill blooms with Sandalwood.

By the way, the distillations got badly failed were more than horrible:Cry:. Only one sentence soothes me: IT'S A LEARNING PROCESS.
IMG20200628194634.jpg
 
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Mr.P

oud<3er
I think 0.3 ml would be an epic success. I have had poor luck distilling low yield materials at home but great luck with high yielding stuff like rosemary or pine.
 

Andrew Salkin

it's aboud time!
Staff member
Ohhhh no, not replace - ENHANCE :D

Yes I plan to make them separately, can mix/match as needed :)

Sproaty. Being into traditional frags, have you ever dropped a bunch of musk into a decant of one of your favorite juices? Curious what the verdict would be - I still wanna get 100ml of aventus from one of the online fb groups - maybe a 15 or 17 batch that people have reviewed well. Then drop a gram or 2 of musk into it.
 

Andrew Salkin

it's aboud time!
Staff member
Sproaty. Being into traditional frags, have you ever dropped a bunch of musk into a decant of one of your favorite juices? Curious what the verdict would be - I still wanna get 100ml of aventus from one of the online fb groups - maybe a 15 or 17 batch that people have reviewed well. Then drop a gram or 2 of musk into it.

For all the hate that frag gets - I think it's pretty brilliant. And honestly after spending too much time here, the prices of trad frags I used to balk at seem so reasonable now lol. 100ml for 350! What a steal
 

Rai Munir

Musk Man
For all the hate that frag gets - I think it's pretty brilliant. And honestly after spending too much time here, the prices of trad frags I used to balk at seem so reasonable now lol. 100ml for 350! What a steal
Exactly. Now when I read the price tag, I resist to place orders for two bottles. And of course, bulk of buying increases a lot by the end of the day.

It mostly suits resellers, I think.

I love your idea of blending musk grains in some perfumes.
A couple of months ago, I mixed Musk tincture in Le Labo's Santal 33 and Creed's Royal Oud.
 

Sproaty

Sproudy
Staff member
Sproaty. Being into traditional frags, have you ever dropped a bunch of musk into a decant of one of your favorite juices? Curious what the verdict would be - I still wanna get 100ml of aventus from one of the online fb groups - maybe a 15 or 17 batch that people have reviewed well. Then drop a gram or 2 of musk into it.

I haven't, no, I haven't bought any musk pods
 
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