Oud of the Day

[Mr.P]

“tastes like burnt nickers”
“tastes like the back of my dogs paw”
“it’s like going through a wet bog”
“the more rough the winter is, the more beautiful this stuff is”
“You smell the elements, you smell the wildness”

One of the most loved (and hated) whiskies in the world.

So much parallel between our sense of taste and our sense of smell. The thing one person loves is the thing another hates. There’s beauty in that!

All I can say is… to me, hindi oud is for rough winters… whether that be the actual cold weather where the more smelly volatiles are toned down or, a stressful day at work, where you want something that grabs your attention and brings you back to the earth.

I have enjoyed the handful of sips of laphroig i have sampled! Somebody should make a distilled essence, or attar or absolute of peat moss.

 

[AlHind Oud]

North Sumatra Aceh sample from al hind. I think this may not be one that he distilled but I’m not 100% sure.

This hits like a classic “green gaharu” in my personal universe of oud specimens. this traces back to a particular greenish indo oil with that name from Oudhasi (great vendor while they lasted) that was a prime example of this style). The top note is multilayered and quite punchy. Tart almost sour green notes embedded in a sweet resinous body. Has some of the crazy wild topnote twang that shows up in thai oils from time to time. If I had to take a guess I would say that this oil is relatively young and will probably get much more dignified with age - at the moment it is a pretty bright-eyed and bushy tailed oil.

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This is my own distilled oil. I offered this as a blind test #2

 

[Castingshadows]

None of this is news to me. Many of us were introduced to Mr Zeng reading the esteemed blog of Kyarzen.

https://www.kyarazen.com/the-future-of-oud-oils-fractionated-sinensis-co2.

What was a revelation is that after 2 years the scent actually COMPLETELY (if I wasn't clear) disappeared. There was no OUD or agarwood scent. Again just a faint chemical smell. Usually I've found sitting on ouds even Co2's improves them. I have tinctures with inferior woods that have only been charged once that have actual scent after a few years. This forum for me is purely information. Jeff seems like an affable guy and I wish him well. My post was strictly about the oud swipe of the day and what I experienced. Zip. I can't imagine that being his intent.

I would offer to giveaway. But it isn't worth paying for the shipping.

I mean I have those same oils and don’t experience what you’re talking about.

 

[Mr.P]

Speaking of the oud of the day… working my way through a few sulaym samples. I will share first impressions, but it will take weeks before I really understand these oils.

Currently sniffing:
HM Royal Malay Kelantan: 1990’s

Early impressions: this oil has a rugged opening and a familiar profile with some notes that don’t quite match other oils in my collection- there are some very interesting notes simultaneously … an initial bitter sweetness with a hint of galbanum or angelica, rich pungent classic indo/malay woody notes, it also has a scent that is a halmark of the top shelf aged malays i have smelled (this note is also evident in ASO’s malik al malayzi (spelling??)) - it smells “dark” heavy, resinous, oily in a very appealing way. Thank goodness there are no traces of shrieking fresh sour oud notes which i have encounted in malaysian and thai oils more often than i’d like. There is a kind of soft, warm, muskiness to it. Little hints of notes I associate with some borneo oils i have smelled. I have a tiny smudge of mesoud’s castoreum on one hand and the melding of these two scents is quite wild…

this is another fine mature oil – I would love to get a bottle of this kind of quality some day,

 

[Mr.P]

Another swipe of olefaktory wild sri lanka 2020. Such a well balanced oil. Has me wondering if there are other micro batch ouds like this out there that I’ve missed or if something magical happened with this one. Even more surprising is that this has been sitting for 3 years as just three drops or so in a tester vial but has not soured or become spoiled by oxidation. Amazing oud. Terms like better/best are meaningless with something like this that involves personal taste, but to my nose this is the pinnacle of indo/malay type oud. How’d you do it bro??

It is like a marriage of two of my favorite profiles with a seamless merging of the two. Facets of indo/malay green gaharu but rich and syrupy; dry down like a mature minty borneo. ❤️

 

[FreeSoul]

@mesOUD Sumbawa black, this one for me is rich woods, dark soft leather, fig and dense jungle vibe. Really enjoyable!

 

[Castingshadows]

Another swipe of olefaktory wild sri lanka 2020. Such a well balanced oil. Has me wondering if there are other micro batch ouds like this out there that I’ve missed or if something magical happened with this one. Even more surprising is that this has been sitting for 3 years as just three drops or so in a tester vial but has not soured or become spoiled by oxidation. Amazing oud. Terms like better/best are meaningless with something like this that involves personal taste, but to my nose this is the pinnacle of indo/malay type oud. How’d you do it bro??

It is like a marriage of two of my favorite profiles with a seamless merging of the two. Facets of indo/malay green gaharu but rich and syrupy; dry down like a mature minty borneo. ❤️

If I’m correct that oil you’re talking about is distilled by Mr. Ali and not Ed (unless this isn’t different one Ed if it is I’m sorry boss). Personally Ed’s newest Sri Lankan he distilled himself blows that one out of the water so if you like that you really need to try the new one from Olefaktory “S.L. One” is what it’s called. That’s not to say it’s a bad oil that you have. In fact I have one from basically the same batch of wood but distilled at a slightly different time that I had commissioned. It’s become quite magical over the last few years. As my bottle has aged all of the off notes have disappeared and it’s smoothed out. I’m still blown away by the oil I commissioned from that distiller.

 

[Mr.P]

I don’t think we are talking about the same oil based on conversations i have had with Ejayb. Glad to hear the new one is a treat as well. I wonder how similar the profiles are?

I can’t imagine anything blowing this particular oil out of the water comparing it to the pricier stuff i have sniffed but i have not actively sought out or collected the super luxury ouds and may not have the slightest idea what i am missing.

 

[Kolalid]

Took a swipe from a sample of Lao Liqour. Definitely a funky cheesy opening. As it dries down it’s more of a clean barn with a grassy hay smell and a bit of an animalic scent. Maybe some sort of tea notes hiding in there. Not my favorite profile but not too bad either.

Surprisingly my wife seems to prefer ouds that have a barnyard note over the clean distills. She said this one is better than the others I’ve been trying lately. Seems like the opposite of most people who aren’t used to oud lol

 

[Castingshadows]

I don’t think we are talking about the same oil based on conversations i have had with Ejayb. Glad to hear the new one is a treat as well. I wonder how similar the profiles are?

I can’t imagine anything blowing this particular oil out of the water comparing it to the pricier stuff i have sniffed but i have not actively sought out or collected the super luxury ouds and may not have the slightest idea what i am missing.

I’m curious now because I’ve tried all of his Sri Lankans and to my knowledge the 2020 one was an oil he sourced verse distilled. But like I said I could be completely wrong on that. @EJayB whats the verdict here?

 

[Mr.P]

I defer to your expertise here - I am not as familiar with these oils as you by a longshot. Whatever the origin, this one really speaks to me!

 

[Mr.P]

I am sampling “lao gold” from Al Hind Oud. I would have thought it was thai - has that same young thai oil fuzzy tangy opening but softened a bit. not getting much in the way of floral notes - i am experiencing resinous, pungent, and sugary notes.

The oil is very viscous and I think the top notes are kind of captured in that heavy fixative base and released more slowly than with more fluid oils. this is quite different from the old soaked oils from Laos I used to get. Those oils were very funky and for a while i thought it was due to the regional influences (as opposed to very long soaking periods).

This is a mellow sweet, sugary crassna in contrast to those old stinky Valerian like oils.

 

[AlHind Oud]

I am sampling “lao gold” from Al Hind Oud. I would have thought it was thai - has that same young thai oil fuzzy tangy opening but softened a bit. not getting much in the way of floral notes - i am experiencing resinous, pungent, and sugary notes.

The oil is very viscous and I think the top notes are kind of captured in that heavy fixative base and released more slowly than with more fluid oils. this is quite different from the old soaked oils from Laos I used to get. Those oils were very funky and for a while i thought it was due to the regional influences (as opposed to very long soaking periods).

This is a mellow sweet, sugary crassna in contrast to those old stinky Valerian like oils.

This is zero soak and long and low temp distilled oil compared to the old loation oils which were distilled in traditional style.

 

[Castingshadows]

This is zero soak and long and low temp distilled oil compared to the old loation oils which were distilled in traditional style.

This was such a good oil for the price. Hits way above its weight.

 

[Sproaty]

I've moved the SQ & vintage oil discussions to another thread

 

[Sproaty]

I am sampling “lao gold” from Al Hind Oud. I would have thought it was thai - has that same young thai oil fuzzy tangy opening but softened a bit. not getting much in the way of floral notes - i am experiencing resinous, pungent, and sugary notes.

The oil is very viscous and I think the top notes are kind of captured in that heavy fixative base and released more slowly than with more fluid oils. this is quite different from the old soaked oils from Laos I used to get. Those oils were very funky and for a while i thought it was due to the regional influences (as opposed to very long soaking periods).

This is a mellow sweet, sugary crassna in contrast to those old stinky Valerian like oils.

I'm wearing this today too, funniy enough it would've been about 40mins before you made this post that I picked it from my collection last night to wear as today's oud. Mine's not too viscous, as 1ml in a 3ml bottle - it "flows" but on skin it is thicker. I can smell what you mean by Thai, but to me it was in the vein of new age Hindi, but sweeter.

 

[Goodness Nose]

oudh of the year.

been using this one slowly, because its that fantastic. Thanksgiving today, so family comin' over... I have an excuse to wear the good stuff!

so dark, you cant see through it. and a smell to match! powerful, and wonderful. one drop stays all day in my beard.

I consider this one my eye opener into oil because i thought i really liked the intense and seemingly impossible fruit smells that came from certain sweeter woods, and i didnt think it could get any better. then i discovered what im after as far as scent profile for future oils is MEROKE.

 

[Mr.P]

The $100 bills are an interesting touch… that’s about how much you probably saved by buying that from Mesoud with his intro pricing…😂

As for Maroke - it seems there are so many nice oils from this region. i haven’t smelled many but i have really enjoyed the variety i have encountered - you have a lot to look forward to.

 

[EJayB]

oudh of the year.

been using this one slowly, because its that fantastic. Thanksgiving today, so family comin' over... I have an excuse to wear the good stuff!

so dark, you cant see through it. and a smell to match! powerful, and wonderful. one drop stays all day in my beard.

I consider this one my eye opener into oil because i thought i really liked the intense and seemingly impossible fruit smells that came from certain sweeter woods, and i didnt think it could get any better. then i discovered what im after as far as scent profile for future oils is MEROKE.

Ouddict used to do an oud of the year vote amongst members, vendor of the year and a few others but that was what seems like many years ago . Ahhh the good ol days

 

[Obada]

@Faizal_p - Cambodi exquisite

The Cambodi is exactly what I was looking for. I am on a Koh Kong trip, trying different vendors and oils, all Koh Kong. Its just complex fruity slightly sweet with a unique citrussy aspect. Like a lemon tart with an overall delicious aspect. It shifts to a wonderful Koh Kong worthy vanillic molassy drydown. It has some "rough edges" or a slightly dusty earthy nuances but its a very fresh oil so I would love to buy some and let it age to the perfect Lemon fruity Tart.

@Faizal_p - Borneo Bliss

This oil is very addictive. It has the creamy woody smell similar to Mysore sandalwood that is present in lots of Malinau oils, and it's probably the best I have smelled in this way. Very thick and satisfying. It isn't a perfumey ethereal scent like many Borneo oils are, but there is a sort of incense smoke scent underneath the creaminess. It was distilled only a month or two ago, so I am waiting to see how it ages over the next few months to a year.

@Faizal_p - Borneo bliss
Brother Faizal blessed me with a bunch of samples and this was a generous sample that I will be able to swipe a couple more times.
It started with an ethereal blast with a wonderful creamy backbone. Slightly minty spicy and for me hard to describe as it is my first Borneo oil.
I have to agree with @Jame It is Addictive!!
It also has some slightly citrussy nuances but after 10 15min the extremely creamy smooth vanilla pushes everything aside and its just delicious too. If age will make this oil more smooth and round, then I will need 3g from this toooo 🤧💸

Both oils have some similarities if you read my descriptions but the cambodi is more oudy woody and the borneo is actually like a perfume composition with less woody aspects and more nose piercing diesel like scent which isnt overly strong or syntheticly annoying