Oud of the Day

[Olfactory Nomad]

I'd recommend just getting the sample pack.

Oh, I agree. I was responding though to her enquiry regarding the dank profile she enjoys and MrP suggested a Malaysian or Merauke. I thought I had quoted that in my reply but it didn't work.🙂

 

[Oudicine]

From an academic viewpoint I completely understand the temperature ramps, etc., during distillation and creation of new species or combustion, however one choses to think of this reaction. Also, I believe, again academically, that the presoak while a critical step can be detrimental via growth of bacterial colonies and fungal spores, etc., which typically produce characteristic aromas. So if I may summarize for my nonstop mind, certain "regional notes" might be due to actual aroma profile of the tree species, environment, etc., yet others might be a result of regional distillation styles.

I've studied and mutated bacteria and viruses, completely understand the common DNA or RNA sequences, and appreciate the same in plants. The resin is the result of a secondary metabolic response, is this correct? And those metabolites would be common to a species within a region pending the infecting fungus, Yes? No?

So - I can think of it as a species/variety or cultivar in a region will have specific "DNA" response attributes to infection which produce the aroma profile of the resin. Therefore, while the profile of that resin is inherent the process of distillation may render an oil with the aroma profile intact, somewhat intact, changed into combustion products or other derivatives. Nonetheless experience will allow one to discern the region or location of wood growth.

Try to help me out and let me know if this is approximately true. Also add details as you see fit, I do not wish to be coddled. I am seeking truth.
Thanks

Resin formation is a complex process with a lot of factors triggering it ,and for each factor it might change the end smell of the wood . It's basically an immune process that the tree uses to protect itself from the offending factor , each of the offending can react to the resin differently and would result in a different smell . The environment of the tree plays a role too i.e. this is why meroke trees smell earthy because they are mostly found in swaps and some fermentation occurs.
As for presoaking there are a lot of vendors that experiment with it . Some use cooling to stunt bacterial and other microbes from growing . It's an essential step to help with the oil extraction . As for temperature curves and what types of equipment use and how each of them affects the end result is out of my scope , a seasoned distiller will answer better.

 

[AbuTominaga]

The wood that went into Kodai Ka must have been top top. That oil is crazy.

A real nose, knows!

The rest? Will look at the price tag and not expect much.

 

[dignitychicken]

I am an oakmoss oil/absolute addict and love a damp, dark almost dank rainforest aroma with a green scent punching through the darkness.
Oudh oil with such characteristics?

I know Mr.P has already responded, but to throw my amateur two cents in: I would be imagining Gyrinops, Filaria and Microcarpa (and maybe Hirta?) families in terms of species, Papua - (Jayapura/Jaya/Irian, Merauke/Maroke and Moresby), Sri Lanka, Borneo (Brunei, Malinau, Kalimantan/Pontianak), and Sumatra in terms of regions (I'm sure there are other Indonesian regions that I'm less familiar with), probably 'clean' / 'new gen' type distillations (that's not to say there won't be incredible vintage distillations that hit the spot for you), but honestly I'm a complete novice in distillation techniques. I don't know whether any cultivated trees are covering this profile well so I'd be suggesting wild (though again could be wrong). In terms of vendors - you're spoiled for choice and in the right place!

 

[LasLunas]

Raw materials come first. The distiller is the artist that shapes the raw materials into the end oil with his signature and vision.

The distiller will always be limited to the quality of raw materials used.

Moreover, the outcome (oil) of the same raw material (oud wood) will vary in character.

Personally, if I smell a random oil that we didn't distill , I'd have a clear idea on those 2 parameters at play. The wood grade will show, and the level of artistry of the distiller will also show.

May I enquirer as to the approximate period of time might be required to reach that skill level?

 

[LasLunas]

I know Mr.P has already responded, but to throw my amateur two cents in: I would be imagining Gyrinops, Filaria and Microcarpa (and maybe Hirta?) families in terms of species, Papua - (Jayapura/Jaya/Irian, Merauke/Maroke and Moresby), Sri Lanka, Borneo (Brunei, Malinau, Kalimantan/Pontianak), and Sumatra in terms of regions (I'm sure there are other Indonesian regions that I'm less familiar with), probably 'clean' / 'new gen' type distillations (that's not to say there won't be incredible vintage distillations that hit the spot for you), but honestly I'm a complete novice in distillation techniques. I don't know whether any cultivated trees are covering this profile well so I'd be suggesting wild (though again could be wrong). In terms of vendors - you're spoiled for choice and in the right place!

I think you more or less pegged me. So far I love the Gyrinops oils, Papua and Sumatra for certain. Those oils are most aesthetically pleasing to me personally. I accept that Oudh oil is a unisex aroma, however I tend to find real smoky scents too masculine for me personally. My purchases for personal use have been limited, Agar Aura and Ensar Oud.

Floral is always enjoyed, fruity is ok for me, but not rotten fruity odors. Woody, dark, damp but not moldy, and greenish.
I don't really know how to explain the greenish - but perhaps this will help: I really love the aroma of Geranium oil or absolute much more than most florals, and the aroma of Helichrysum Italicum from Corsica and Croatia. The last two have quite different aroma profiles, but I love both of them. ( I purchase Helichrysum from Corsica by the Liter!)

I am going to try some Oudh from the regions you have pointed out.

Thanks for bearing with my inadequate personal knowledge of the scents. I am able to speak proficiently as to the analysis procedures and data assimilation, but nothing as to what is from where, new or old, etc., on a personal level.

Thank You so very much!

 

[LasLunas]

Resin formation is a complex process with a lot of factors triggering it ,and for each factor it might change the end smell of the wood . It's basically an immune process that the tree uses to protect itself from the offending factor , each of the offending can react to the resin differently and would result in a different smell . The environment of the tree plays a role too i.e. this is why meroke trees smell earthy because they are mostly found in swaps and some fermentation occurs.
As for presoaking there are a lot of vendors that experiment with it . Some use cooling to stunt bacterial and other microbes from growing . It's an essential step to help with the oil extraction . As for temperature curves and what types of equipment use and how each of them affects the end result is out of my scope , a seasoned distiller will answer better.

Perfect Clarification!
Thank You

 

[LasLunas]

I'd recommend just getting the sample pack.

I did go through all of the descriptions. I ordered 1 gram of the Maroke Qadeem.
Thank you!
PS: Ordering from his sight was a breeze!

 

[Mr.P]

I know there's no accounting for taste, but I have been so pleasantly surprised by some of the mass produced CK oils (and repelled by an equal number). I have worn a whole lot of agarwood over the years, and I know a good dry down when I smell one i think. I have a CK oil that's just phenomenal in its own way. The top notes are ok, not that especially charming but the dry down is just 100% gorgeous sinensis, and if I apply this in the evening, the next morning the aroma is still very evident and it has transformed into something a little more punchy, multifaceted, and engaging. I have noticed that the some CK oils develop some really beautiful note as they oxidize. My hypothesis is that when I apply this freshly distilled oil to my skin it's in a relatively simple state, and the aroma reflects that. Since this one doesn't just fade but actually becomes more rich with time I assume there's some kind of interaction with oxygen once the oil is dispersed over the surface of the skin, creating a range of modified molecules with different intensities and qualities. I say oxygen just because it's the poster child of reactivity and makes up about 20% of the atmosphere lol I don't know that it's actually oxygen.

 

[LasLunas]

I know there's no accounting for taste, but I have been so pleasantly surprised by some of the mass produced CK oils (and repelled by an equal number). I have worn a whole lot of agarwood over the years, and I know a good dry down when I smell one i think. I have a CK oil that's just phenomenal in its own way. The top notes are ok, not that especially charming but the dry down is just 100% gorgeous sinensis, and if I apply this in the evening, the next morning the aroma is still very evident and it has transformed into something a little more punchy, multifaceted, and engaging. I have noticed that the some CK oils develop some really beautiful note as they oxidize. My hypothesis is that when I apply this freshly distilled oil to my skin it's in a relatively simple state, and the aroma reflects that. Since this one doesn't just fade but actually becomes more rich with time I assume there's some kind of interaction with oxygen once the oil is dispersed over the surface of the skin, creating a range of modified molecules with different intensities and qualities. I say oxygen just because it's the poster child of reactivity and makes up about 20% of the atmosphere lol I don't know that it's actually oxygen.

Hi,

What is a CK oil?
Pardon my not knowing.....

 

[Mr.P]

Hi,

What is a CK oil?
Pardon my not knowing.....

Cultivated kinam. Sometime in the last decade or so someone found living wild Kinam trees, they are extremely easy to graft onto established agarwood trees, grow fast and yield high quantities of resin very quickly without any chemical inoculation. It is a parallel market almost because of how easy it is to get resin saturated cultivated kinam. Prices can be very, very low compared to other ouds yet still be natural oil distilled from untreated resin-rich wood. The oil from this rapidly grown variety has some different properties, it can be very light in aroma depending on how it's extracted it seems. it also can be pretty saturated and rich.

This oil seems to be one where oxygen is very much its friend, based on observations and experiments over the last few years.

 

[LasLunas]

Cultivated kinam. Sometime in the last decade or so someone found living wild Kinam trees, they are extremely easy to graft onto established agarwood trees, grow fast and yield high quantities of resin very quickly without any chemical inoculation. It is a parallel market almost because of how easy it is to get resin saturated cultivated kinam. Prices can be very, very low compared to other ouds yet still be natural oil distilled from untreated resin-rich wood. The oil from this rapidly grown variety has some different properties, it can be very light in aroma depending on how it's extracted it seems. it also can be pretty saturated and rich.

This oil seems to be one where oxygen is very much its friend, based on observations and experiments over the last few years.

Hmmm...interesting. Thank you Sir for the education. Would a "C" in front of other wood genres indicate cultivated" as well?

 

[Mr.P]

Hmmm...interesting. Thank you Sir for the education. Would a "C" in front of other wood genres indicate cultivated" as well?

This is just an acronym that has become common for a cultivated kinam, that's the extent of it I think

 

[LasLunas]

This is just an acronym that has become common for a cultivated kinam, that's the extent of it I think

Question: Exactly what does the term "organic" mean on this site?. I see wild wood, organic wood,...
Isn't all wood organic, meaning contains carbon. Is the term supposed to illicit the same response from us as "Organic Produce?" The loose usage of terms, and Oudh "jargon" isn't exactly clear.
If you have a moment can you help me understand this.


Does it refer to "organic" farming techniques?

 

[Mr.P]

Question: Exactly what does the term "organic" mean on this site?. I see wild wood, organic wood,...
Isn't all wood organic, meaning contains carbon. Is the term supposed to illicit the same response from us as "Organic Produce?" The loose usage of terms, and Oudh "jargon" isn't exactly clear.
If you have a moment can you help me understand this.


Does it refer to "organic" farming techniques?

Organic is used very loosely with oud. Never seen a certified oil. Implies a lack of chemical resin inducing agents on a plantation. resin induced by physical means - drilling holes, mixtures of fungus spores and molasses, but no synthetics adjuvants

 

[LasLunas]

Organic is used very loosely with oud. Never seen a certified oil. Implies a lack of chemical resin inducing agents on a plantation. resin induced by physical means - drilling holes, mixtures of fungus spores and molasses, but no synthetics adjuvants

OK, That clarifies the acronym as a "farming" technique. I am always suspicious of "Organic" or "Natural" when used as a product qualifier. Best to find out exactly what the terms refers to in each specific arena.
Thank You

 

[LasLunas]

Has anyone ever used vacuum distillation with cryogenic trap to collect and analyze headspace volatiles after various storage periods? Might be interesting, or not.

 

[LasLunas]

Is this the wrong thread for this topic?
Oud of the Day? I am wearing Agar Aura Centaku again......
This Oud has that green mossy forest floor after rain, earth and light peppery aromas.
Sublime, and stays close to me which is important while working. We have to shower to remove all scents, deodorants, body oils, etc., prior to pre-entrance into clean rooms. Yet a lingering aroma remains on skin even after subjected to lab protocol showering....I love this oil!!!

 

[mesOUD]

Has anyone ever used vacuum distillation with cryogenic trap to collect and analyze headspace volatiles after various storage periods? Might be interesting, or not.

@LasLunas
Each topic already has its own dedicated thread on the forum, and you’re also free to create as many new threads as you’d like.
This thread is specifically for “Oud of the Day”.
My suggestion is to choose an appropriate thread title and continue your discussion there that way, those who are genuinely interested will be more likely to see it.

 

[Oudicine]

Is this the wrong thread for this topic?
Oud of the Day? I am wearing Agar Aura Centaku again......
This Oud has that green mossy forest floor after rain, earth and light peppery aromas.
Sublime, and stays close to me which is important while working. We have to shower to remove all scents, deodorants, body oils, etc., prior to pre-entrance into clean rooms. Yet a lingering aroma remains on skin even after subjected to lab protocol showering....I love this oil!!!

You are lucky that it last that much on your skin , on mine lasts only 4-6hrs of skin scent.