Oud Reviews

Malacca Double Super (Chips)
https://alhashimi.com/product/malacca/

Look what the postman delivered today!

These Aquilaria malaccensis chips smell divine even at room temperature - spicy, hint of orange peel, earthy, slightly petrichorish (if there is such word), and most importantly woody (hinting towards a wonderful incense note). I have yet put these fragrant nuggets on to the burner as I prefer colder weather to 'optimise' my enjoyment. There is a labdanum type sweetness in it too.

Update: I just burned a tiny (rice grain) amount at low temperature (around 9-10 volts range) as I simply could not resist anymore! The initial hay, woody and earthy notes' combination, followed by the incensy menthol is superb. I wish there was an attar with that aroma only. It then starts spilling out its spice notes, more specifically cinnamon and cardamom and a bit of orange peel in the distance. The orange peel thingy is quite distant. I was not sure about it when I was smelling the wood at room temperature. It is clearer whilst burning - albeit whispering to my olfactive.

It then becomes sweeter and incensier. At this later stage, I also get hint of crushed black pepper or red chilli - somehow similar to frying either up and then crushing them in a mortar. It is probably due to the slower aroma exhaustion from the dense resin, which in turn, is a product of a relatively lower burning temperature.

After half an hour its vanilla like sweetness intensifies even more. I think this is what I detected as a labdanum like sweetness whilst smelling the chips by hand.

The cinnamon and cardamom mix at this stage not clearly noticeable to my nose. But if I leave the room and come back I can then detect them, albeit at a very low intensity. There are some some spices too, that cannot detect yet. For that I need to spend more time with these beauties.

In short, this is a sweet and spicy incense with a velvet sweet hay and a big dollop of menthol at the start.

IBN ZAMRAK is like a beautiful child of wild agarwoods from Assam and Borneo - notes of sweet Spanish and subcontinent hay, honey / beeswax absolute from France, earthy, lots of menthol and spices (cinnamon, and cardamom). There is also something sweet and leathery - somewhat similar to labdanum (not that powerful though, so do not worry).

These are just initial impressions. I haven't tried the other ones yet. There is just too many things in the package.

@AbasFrag and @Alkhadra: Thank you both very much, brothers. I learned a lot discussing with you. 🙂

Update: I clarified some long and confusing sentences and added a few more things on the Malaccan.
 

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Thank you so much dear brother @Ashfaque for theese lovely detailed reviews. Enjoyed to read them so much. And what a nose you have MashaAllah that pics up all theese notes. Very happy you liked it 🙂

Ibn Zamrak is an unreleased oil that we’ve kept for aging but it’s maturing quite fast so maybe it’s time soon 😀
 
Ashfaque said:
Look what the postman delivered today!

These Aquilaria malaccensis chips smell divine even at room temperature - spicy, hint of orange peel, earthy, slightly petrichorish (if there is such word), and most importantly woody (hinting towards a wonderful incense note). I have yet put these fragrant nuggets on to the burner as I prefer colder weather to 'optimise' my enjoyment. There is a labdanum type sweetness in it too.

Update: I just burned a tiny (rice grain) amount at low temperature (around 9-10 volts range) as I simply could not resist anymore! The initial hay, woody and earthy notes' combination, followed by the incensy menthol is superb. I wish there was only one attar simply consists of that aroma. Then it starts spilling out its spice notes, more specifically cinnamon and cardamom and a bit of orange peel in the distance. The orange peel thingy is quite distant. I was not sure about it when I was smelling the wood at room temperature. It's clearer whilst burning - albeit whispering to my olfective.

It then becomes sweeter and more incensy. At this later stage, I also get hint of crushed black pepper or red chilli - somehow similar to frying up some b. pepper or red chilli and then crushing them in a mortar. It is probably due to the slower aroma exhaustion from the dense resin, which in turn is the effect of lower burning temperature.

After half an hour its vanilla like sweetness intensifies even more. I think this is what I detected as a labdanum like sweetness whilst smell the chips at room temperature.

The cinnamon and cardamom mix at this stage not clearly noticeable to my nose. But if I leave the room and come back I can then detect them, albeit at a very low intensity. There are some spices too. But I need to spend more time with it to be able to detect those.

In short, this is a sweet and spicy incense with a velvet sweet hay and a big dollop of menthol at the start.

That oil, Ibn Zamrak is like a beautiful child of wild agarwoods from Assam and Borneo - notes of sweet Spanish and subcontinent hay, honey / beeswax absolute from France, earthy, lots of menthol and spices (cinnamon, and cardamom). There is also something swet and leathery - somewhat similar to labdanum (not that powerful though, so not worry).

These are just initial impressions. I haven't tried the other ones yet. There is just too many things in the package.

@AbasFrag and @Alkhadra: Thank you both very much, brothers. I learned a lot discussing with you. 🙂

Update: I clarified some long and confusing sentences and added a few more things on the Malaccan.
Click to expand...

I just got off a 14 hour shift at work (yes, they do exist in certain fields😕), @AbasFrag just directed my attention to this post. This read was just what I needed before a nights rest. Thanks dear @Ashfaque for the amazing review. I'm really glad you liked the wood! That Malacca wood.. always punches me in the face, intense stuff 😱 wouldn't you say so?

and as for Ibn Zamrak, for an oil that I've hardly told you anything about at all, that is a very..VERY accurate description. Respect to your nose! In fact so accurate that you just saved me a ton of work on description writing. 😀 I'm excited to hear your thoughts on the other samples now!
 
I'm flattered. JazakAllah khayr 🙂

Re Malaccan chips: There is something else in the top and base note (one each) that I can't recall, even though I'm almost certain I came across those note from the oils that I have. I'll update my review if I can name those two things.

Re Ibn Zamrak: I'll probably wear it this weekend (if it's not too hot) and try to write a detailed note break down. Really lovely oil and the distiller (whoever he is) has my utmost respect and you two.
 
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Ibn Zamrak (2017)
Region: Sabah
Wood: Wild Aquilaria microcarpa (mostly) and some wild Aquilaria malaccensis shavings

A monolith of mentholic and spicy incense​

[Ouddict.com] Oud Reviews

I will try to write my impression a bit differently for this oil as I have lot to say about it. I apologise for the long read and if some of it sounds repetitive as I’m yet to acquire the art of non-academic writing.

At the top I get a fleeting apple note – not sure about the variety though. Almost instantaneously, Ibn Zamkrak (IZ) greets me with a very powerful mentholic note with all sorts of wonder to follow.

@AbasFrag /Malik: Since you have it a lot (hopefully), please try it on your forehead if either of you get headache – especially @Alkhadra . Just think of it like an exotic Tiger Balm! :Roflmao:

Joking aside, it then reveals its earthy and hay notes. The hay is pleasant and sweet - never barnyardish. It smells like a cross between recently dried hays of subcontinent (Bangladesh) and a bit of toffee/honey like sweetness of Spanish hay absolute. The earthy note is not very powerful now. But I can sense its intensity getting stronger.

Then comes oakmoss absolute - one of the finest natural perfume ingredients I have even sniffed outside oud and sandalwood oils. I am not referring to the IFRA compliant toned down kerfuffle. In this area, it is very similar to Ard from HabzOud.

I also get a citrus note of grapefruit (with the incense in the background) and a hint of shatkora (aka, hatkora) fruit (Citrus macroptera), commonly used in Sylhet zone’s cuisine. FYI, Ajmal released an EdP highlighting this fruit, which I have never tried. If you’re near any shop that sells Bangladeshi fruit and veg, or owned by some Bangladesh (especially Sylheti), you can smell this intensely greenish citrus fruit. Even better, try to get yourself invited for some shatkora flavoured beef/chicken curry! 😀

The interplay amongst the spice notes is quite a new experience for me. I get cinnamon, saffron, fenugreek (more pronounced at dry down), and a few more things that I’m not sure of. The dryness is coming from the saffron note (according to my wife). I recently bought some Iranian saffron. I can see where she is coming from. She detected saffron before me even though I like it more than her!

The woody note here is just as expected. Think of a thick forest with lots of very old trees and lots of dry leaves and small fragrant plants under their shadows during autumn. For the earth note, you can add in post rain cold and windy afternoon for your imagination!

Within the woody note, I get something herbaceous – a pronounced green tea note (along with earthy/clay note). I could be wrong, but I think saffron and green tea like notes are playing tricks with me as they are so assimilated! Now it is getting woodier and drier (saffron like) too.

30 minutes in: I get a smell of very dry earthy smell – very similar to one that I used to get in the May/June in our village house, when it is very hot (35+ Celsius) and the soil is parched. Thus IZ compliments this ‘cool’ oil with some warm vibe. It is also partly due to the herbaceous green tea, and honey like hay notes.

1 hour in: As the green and mentholic elements subside (though still quite strong), in comes beeswax absolute and honey. All of them stays until the end. However, the wood and incense notes have taken over - with menthol, hay, petrichor and saffron playing in the background and in that order.

2nd hour: It remains more or less the same like before. In the 3rd hour the spiced incense note is still quite potent. But now I get something musky that is similar to some facets of Yaqoot – a powerhouse from @Al Shareef Oudh. The musky note here is quite gentle though, slightly powdery, almost like ambrette seed abs (ASA), but without the presence of anything heavy at the start of ASA.

The saffron note is still there at the 4th hour (along with other things cf below). Anyone who knows me will know how much I love saffron. Considering the powerful incense note, this has already become a favourtie oil of mine of Malaysia, along with Ard (HabzOud), Rose De Malaisie (LMK) and Malay Encens (HoM).

5th hour: The beeswax, fenugreek are still there with cinnamon’s occasional appearance. There is probably curry leaf too, but not sure as I cannot recall the smell now. To me a weak labdanum like sweetness registers very late into my olfactive – hence it is lot less resinous, more incensy.

Somewhat related: There is no burn wood smell. I was telling @AbasFrag that I get a plastic burning smell. In fact it was not coming from there - rather from the table where I dropped birch tar eo few days ago, and my very own saffron tincture yesterday during filtering. Don’t ask me what else I have dropped on it! Interesting bit of information: 8-10 hours after I dropped birch tar, the the varnished wood table smelled like barbeque sauce. I’m not joking.

It now has become a fusion of beeswax, gentle musk, and mentholic incense. I love it. I get all those notes until the 8th hour. It then becomes a skin scent when the spicy, slightly musky, mentholic incense note with oakmoss greenness is still there.

8th hour: I had my shower around eight & half hours time. I can still smell the sweet mentholic incense and something new - cardamom for the first time! This suggests I missed it earlier when I was smelling cinnamon. It could be due to the intensity of other notes at the earlier stages.

For the adventurous: Since it has that sharp green oakmoss absolute thing going on, I think it will go quite well in chypre and incense attars. I’m so tempted to do some experiments it with birch tar, smoke tree, myrrh co2, luban, labdanum, European hays, rose, rosewood and sandalwood!

In short, if you like incense, Malaysian woodiness, saffron, mentholic notes and sweet hay, this glorious oil is a must try. Ibn Zamrak is like a beautiful child of wild agarwoods from Assam and Borneo, grown in the wilderness of Malaysia.
 
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Habz was generous enough to provide me a taste of some of his oils,
below are my impressions:

Mukhmil
First let me say that to me this is a mid to low barnyard Hindi. One is certainly not hit over the head with the funk. I know barn lovers like specificity when it comes to the type of barn aroma, but I couldn't get the best handle on the opening notes, the closest I came to, is the acidity of souring fruit mixed with wet mulch. Uncharacteristically, the oil never seems to open up to the typical fleshier fruitiness of a Hindi, instead I get a transition to dry sawdust, then the faint green of tree sap, before hitting the compulsory hay stack and finally a nice honeyed wood with a wisp of smoke in the final hour. There's a certain softness to the final notes and I find this lacks the tenacity I expect of Hindis.

Zamarad
Zamarad was the most surprising of the three I tried, it felt like an oud journey I'd not taken before. It opens with warm sulphur and a vein of eucalyptus running through it, an unusual opening which rather quickly gets more balsamic and sweeter. I then get hints of cherry cola, with the cherry slowly overpowering. Later still, I get some balsamic glaze mixed with labdanum, and eventually a sheeny coating of wood polish. There's a low oudy hum and and a sticky sweetness that accompany the scent until its final phase, where I find it gets powdery and reminiscent of a grandma's sweet fragranced talcum.

Alsukar
This was my favourite of the three. It opens with a note of sunflower oil and then freshly cut wood. There is a rounded quality to the opening notes, they are not as piercing as the usual Indonesian opening. After the opening settles, I get a strong musty note, then the sense of wet smoke, like from a recently extinguished fire. There is also a weird transitional and fleeting camphorous vein right at the heart of the fragrance before finally settling with the warm embrace of kitten fur and honeyed wood. The kiss goodbye comes in the form of damp dust. Taking queue from @Oudamberlove, I'd say this could be categorized as a mellow oud. There is definitely a comforting feeling from wearing this oud.
 
Rai Munir said:
:praying:
:Unsure:
I will go for the oil again. In fact, I think I get involved in the opening notes more than the later ones.
Click to expand...

It is not very often I am captivated by the top notes of a fragrance,
with oud in particular I find myself patiently waiting to get to the heart of the scent.

One can not get a true measure of neither man nor matter, until we get to the heart of their substance.
 
It is pretty rare I get the chance to give the first impression on an oud oil release, I'm usually last get to things, so I couldn't resist a review of Safwaan which I've had a decent head start on.

'Aasifah - Al Shareef Oudh
Mid to high barnyard, this one opens with an acidic sourness, and a strong horse stable aroma. As the acidity subsides, I start getting some toasted oak to go along with the barn, and pretty soon the fragrance starts to sweeten with fleshy apricot. I then get a little bit of the sub-sweetness of decaying apple, and the apricot sweetens even more into a dry apricot aroma. In the heart notes, I begin to get some pine sap and this is where the magic starts to happen. There's a phase in the scent evolution which smells exactly like the woods in Latvia. I was there in June, walking beside a forest just after some rainfall, and I just started sniffing the air and telling my wife that this smelt exactly like oud! I regret not sniffing every square inch in the area, but people were already looking at me oddly as I sniffed the air, and there was a train to be caught... If I run into that scent again, I'll go down on hands and knees if I have to, and let people look at me as weirdly as they wish. There's something very alive and tactile to that scent, it is pine yes, but it's also the denseness of the air, the wetness of the earth, the light rot of wilted leaves brought back to life by the rain. Of course, I love this part of the scent, but as with all good things it is fleeting. Eventually the earlier toasted oak gives way to some vanilla and a bit of smoke, the last part comes with a honeyed woodiness, and finally sweet hay.
'Aasifah is strong with good projection.

Safwaan - Al Shareef Oudh
Barn lovers rejoice! This is one of the heaviest barns I've encountered. I'll quote my wife who sat a little too close one day when I was applying: "It smells like the whole zoo!" (she is not a fan of the barn). This one opens with a dank monkey cage aroma, ripe with fecal tones, alongside the heavy smell of snake skin. I've not felt a snake association since Shwe Myitkyina (AA), but whereas Shwe had a subtle refined snake leather aura to it, this one feels like you have a snake shedding its skin onto yours; there is something very primal to the opening of Safwaan. As the raw dankness subsides I get some heavy smoke, and a slowly emerging sweetness of nectarines and plum skins, also the snake skin is slowly tamed to leather. And when I say sweetness, I mean multitudes less compared to 'Aasifah's apricot clarity. In the mid phase there is an unexpected mentholated camphor vein which slowly pushes the aroma back to my Latvian woods association, but the evolution is slower than 'Aasifah (this only happens in hour 5 or 6) and this is a mossier wood with animalic tones still present. As Safwaan dries down, I get a nice oudiness, reminiscent of a Cambodian heart, with a mixture of blossom honey, prunes, dry bark and dry leaves. And if you wait long enough at the end there is also sometimes a wisp of iris.
Safwaan is strong, especially in the zoo topnotes, but surprisingly, 'Aasifah is stronger.


I keep oscillating between which one I prefer,
I prefer Safwaan's drydown,
I love 'Aasifah's ability to take me back to the edge of the Latvian forest,
when I'm in the right mood, the primal snake of Safwaan is intoxicating,
but when I am not up to the barn, the wait to get to the second peak of Safwaan is just too long...

I'm also often conflicted when captivated by a Hindi,
realising that what captivates me, is most likely a secondary aroma to oud,
and isn't there a more direct and cheaper route to those secondary aromas?
 
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