Oud of the Day

[Taesik Yun]

ASO - Jamaal
Wow, it really does have a kinamic note. no gimmick.
very smooth and half banana, half honey sweet. hmm, Al Hashmi's Khmer has a similar sweetness.
this is really nice.

 

[Proust Madeleine]

AA Kham Lao. So good I’m gonna start calling it Kham Wow. I’m really enjoying the settling this oil is doing now. At first the orange blossom tea note was weirding me out. This one started much more tonka sweet for me. But now that I’ve worn it a few more times I’m extremely impressed. For a Lao Oud, this is top notch stuff.

 

[Proust Madeleine]

After a long day in the shop running a distillation I’m relaxing with a lovely oil that was gifted to me: AL MALEK AL CEENI
I’m so grateful to ASO for all the amazing oils I’ve been blessed to experience!

Reading so many good things about ASO but I don’t have any of their oils. Anyone have suggestions about where to start?

 

[Mr.P]

ASO - Jamaal
Wow, it really does have a kinamic note. no gimmick.
very smooth and half banana, half honey sweet. hmm, Al Hashmi's Khmer has a similar sweetness.
this is really nice.

Now that is strange because I get ZERO kinam scent in this oil. None at all. I don't even smell some thing that I could possibly miss interpret as kinam like. What kind of kinam have you been smelling!?!? Or more likely: what are these weird types of kinam that I have never smelled (which includes most type of quinoa since all I've smelled is a very limited selection from Japanese sellers).

I've been trying some swipes of this one and trying to understand it... it is a strange oud and I have to say not one of my favorite. There is something to the heart and root of this one that really just rubs me the wrong way. I feel bad saying that because it was a free gift and normally I love the oils from this company but this one, not for me at all.

 

[Castingshadows]

RBO’s Phuket

this has all the characteristics of an aged cambodi I love it! Just the right amount of barn in the opening.

 

[Andrew Salkin]

Reading so many good things about ASO but I don’t have any of their oils. Anyone have suggestions about where to start?

Assuming you mean in the mid range price bracket right? If so, check out nusa.

Bare in mind though if you are used to AA and ensar oils, these are a different breed. Aso does more old school style ouds so they have more bass and heart and not crazy zippy top notes. There are generally more lactic notes too - just something to be aware of.

Nusa I think would be a good starting place though - from what I hear, it smells just like the wood - which smelled great!

If high end stuff, put a blindfold on and throw a dart. Can't go wrong with any of the malek series. That's his top shelf.

 

[Taesik Yun]

Now that is strange because I get ZERO kinam scent in this oil. None at all. I don't even smell some thing that I could possibly miss interpret as kinam like. What kind of kinam have you been smelling!?!? Or more likely: what are these weird types of kinam that I have never smelled (which includes most type of quinoa since all I've smelled is a very limited selection from Japanese sellers).

I've been trying some swipes of this one and trying to understand it... it is a strange oud and I have to say not one of my favorite. There is something to the heart and root of this one that really just rubs me the wrong way. I feel bad saying that because it was a free gift and normally I love the oils from this company but this one, not for me at all.

My kinam experience is very limited. I've tried Nha Trang black kinam from RPP and some plantation kinam, several kinam incenses. So I might misinterpret the smell of Jamaal. this particular scent profile is something I have not experienced in any other Malay oils.
And, there is a chance that I have used broader a range of the spectrum than you. Since you have much more experience, I guess you'd know more than me though.

 

[Oudamberlove]

Swiped ASO Jamaal

..... searching for kyara and kinam
......sifting through layers of wood and oudiness
......moving aside Malaysian characteristics
facets of kinam are revealed......
........sweetness, bitterness, a citrus glow, and a little lactic.
These facets don’t come at you all at once, but slowly come together at the heart, riding the vapors that fly off the skin.

Although I perceive notes of kinam,
the oil does not sing a kyara song.

Allow me to elaborate....
I have smelled kyara notes in very many oils,
that were not even touted as kinamic oils, e.g. Oud Yusuf, Aroha Kush, and some Cambodis.
While the focus has been on notes/facets, I feel that the intensity of kyara has been overlooked, give me an oil that not only delivers the notes, but does so with a strong projection and body, but of course that’s asking too much😀

Bottom line......
How well does the oil sing a kyara song, when you swipe it, is the kyara upfront and very noticeable, and does it stand alone or share the stage with other actors.

Jamaal is quite artisanal, for it to offer it’s unique profile, from Malaysian wood. Not loud to begin with, but still brings-on the scent for a good ride, which reminds me of some other top end oils.

 

[Mario P.]

Happy new year to all forum members ,is a pleasure to be here from years and years ,i been hiding until 2018 i think, when i decide to make account and post . I want to thank you ,for all moments and discussion arround forum
Wish you all the best and all the healthy to everybody ,every member
Enter in new year with
Oud Ahmad EO
Lao 4k AA
Martabat Brunei IO


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[Leander]

EO Oud Extraordinaire
Super thick! The first thing I notice is a blast of honey scent. Then a bit of frankincense. A touch of spice, floral, maybe tobacco. As it dried down it keeps the honey but the incense notes come out. More resins show up also. I like it very much!

 

[Castingshadows]

Tonight I’m wearing an incense grade Meghalaya oil. Clean Hindi’s will forever be my favorite style of oil. I always get the feeling of golden honeyed flowers and warm wood. Beautiful stuff.

 

[Hosayn]

Kinam Attar + Oud Ertugul


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[Dan]

Friday Prayer SOTD:

ASQ - Thaqeel pre 2008 + Hindi Kalakassi Wood fumigation.

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[Proust Madeleine]

Assuming you mean in the mid range price bracket right? If so, check out nusa.

Bare in mind though if you are used to AA and ensar oils, these are a different breed. Aso does more old school style ouds so they have more bass and heart and not crazy zippy top notes. There are generally more lactic notes too - just something to be aware of.

Nusa I think would be a good starting place though - from what I hear, it smells just like the wood - which smelled great!

If high end stuff, put a blindfold on and throw a dart. Can't go wrong with any of the malek series. That's his top shelf.

Thank you Andrew. Is there a particular region that is most emblematic of ASO strengths? When I think of IO I think of their chinese woods(maybe that’s just me), when I think of AA I think of Malaysian (though obviously there’s tons of great stuff and my fav of his is a Sumatran), Ensar I think Vietnam for whatever reason.

 

[Sproaty]

Thank you Andrew. Is there a particular region that is most emblematic of ASO strengths? When I think of IO I think of their chinese woods(maybe that’s just me), when I think of AA I think of Malaysian (though obviously there’s tons of great stuff and my fav of his is a Sumatran), Ensar I think Vietnam for whatever reason.

Hindis probably 🙂

 

[Proust Madeleine]

Hindis probably 🙂

Much obliged!

 

[Mustafa]

Hindis probably 🙂

May I also add Al Malik Al Ceeni, Yunnan and Hareer.

 

[Andrew Salkin]

May I also add Al Malik Al Ceeni, Yunnan and Hareer.

Cambodi and hindi yes, but it's less about region and more about style. Everyone has oils from everywhere. AA has done recent malay stuff but has stuff from all over historically, as does ensar, and all the vendors here. The signature is more in the style of ouls sold.

For ASO, that style is old world oud style - more heavy base notes, oils with lots of depth. His distillations generally make use of a longer soak, vs AA which is super top heavy almost whispy clean vibes.

Ensar has a few distillers he uses so he's got oils that range from ultra clean to base heavy.

The regional understanding - idk if that's really a thing, as much.

 

[Dan]

Cambodi and hindi yes, but it's less about region and more about style. Everyone has oils from everywhere. AA has done recent malay stuff but has stuff from all over historically, as does ensar, and all the vendors here. The signature is more in the style of ouls sold.

For ASO, that style is old world oud style - more heavy base notes, oils with lots of depth. His distillations generally make use of a longer soak, vs AA which is super top heavy almost whispy clean vibes.

Ensar has a few distillers he uses so he's got oils that range from ultra clean to base heavy.

The regional understanding - idk if that's really a thing, as much.

Would second this thought.

ASO oils are what I would call Arabic signature. You pick up any of their top oils Malek series or even Al Rubaie 2 .. they all have that signature....

But I think because ASO is so high on traditional Arabic style. His attars are one of the best I've tried. Kashef, Ward, Yasmeen were very good.

Waiting to put my nose on the Al Ghaliyah 2.

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[wildrnesxprienc]

Purple Kinam. Falling more and more in love with this one with every wearing. There is so much to discover and there isn’t a single phase that is anything less than fantastic. It seems every stage is so different and from different Oud regions even. And the kinamic bitter buzz goes on for a long, long time. It’s almost too much at first when deeply inhaled. So much so that at first I was taken aback by PK and it took some time and more experience for me to come back and come around to it. A long, slow drawn out inhale reveals so much it’s intoxicating.