Why do we succumb to the allure of oud, an exceptional and incredibly powerful wood? Join us on a fascinating journey to uncover the origins of oud and its present-day sources.
Over the past decade, oud has become a major olfactory note in niche and luxury perfumery. But beyond its trend status, this raw material is one of the fundamental pillars of the fragrance world. It has a deep connection to culture, religion, and the sacred, having been present since the dawn of time…
Yet, oud remains shrouded in mystery. Tracing its roots is no easy task. Its production relies on generations of families dedicated to the ancestral art of cultivation and distillation, preserving traditional practices that vary uniquely depending on the region of origin.
The essential oil of oud is obtained through steam distillation, resulting in an intense fragrance with smoky, balsamic, and slightly animalic nuances.
The art of patience
What exactly is oud? How is it obtained? Oud comes from the Aquilaria tree, native to Southeast Asia (India, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia). When infected by a specific fungus, the tree produces a resin as a defense mechanism, and its pure scent is said to be as intoxicating as a narcotic. Some even compare its aroma to a stable, goats, or even cheese.
The essential oil of oud is obtained through steam distillation, resulting in an intense fragrance with smoky, balsamic, and slightly animalic nuances.
Once the tree is cut down, every piece of wood is meticulously examined. All darkened sections can be used to extract the essence. This labor-intensive process results in a classification based on the resin's concentration, which determines different qualities of oud.
Image courtesy of Chris Maurice.
It takes between 30 and 40 trees to obtain just 1 kg of oud essence, which is why Aquilaria cultivation requires efficient management to conserve the species. Without careful oversight, overexploitation could lead to its extinction.
Its rarity and meticulous production process make oud one of the most expensive raw materials in perfumery. Prices can range from $4,000 for Indian oud to 16,000 euros for Laotian oud.
Image courtesy of Chris Maurice.
"Wild oud can reach $50,000 per kilo, or whatever price is demanded, because it is truly unique," explains perfumer Chris Maurice, whom we contacted from the other side of the world, in Laos, where he has managed plantations for over 20 years. Maurice is one of the few oud experts in the Western world and has extensive knowledge of this rare raw material, from its cultivation to its transformation into perfume. But let's go back to the beginning of this story, to its origin…
"Wild oud can reach $50,000 per kilo, or whatever price is demanded, because it is truly unique," explains perfumer Chris Maurice.
Oud, a connection to the sacred
Dominique Roques writes in The Essence Seeker: "From antiquity to the 16th century, this wood was known by many names: agarwood in Sanskrit, aloe wood in the Bible, eaglewood by the Portuguese sailors, and simply oud by the Arabs. It is also called the wood of kings, a name that perhaps suits it best, in tribute to its value, uniqueness, potency and historical aura in royal courts and palaces, from India to Versailles."
Roques, who has spent over 30 years traveling the world in search of natural resources for perfume production, introduces us in his book to Damien Schvartz, a French partner at the Jalali Agarwood distillery in Bangladesh. Schvartz, besides having hands-on experience, is an expert in the historical origins of oud. His university studies in history and passion for oud led him to research the roots of this raw material, culminating in a manuscript titled Le bois du Paradis.
Schvartz kindly answered our questions, offering a fascinating etymology lesson: "Oud is an Arabic word meaning 'wood', referring to the finest of woods, the wood par excellence. It is also called 'aluwwa' in Arabic, a name derived from the Greek 'aloe'. The word 'aloe' appears in the New Testament and the Septuagint (Greek translation of the Old Testament), where it translates the Hebrew term 'ahalot/ahalim'," he explains.
"European interest in the oud has shifted over time: highly popular and significant during the medieval period, it was largely forgotten by the late 19th and early 20th centuries," says Damien Schvartz of Jalali Agarwood.
In the Middle Ages, the oud was directly related to paradise. It was thought to have come from the Garden of Eden, but this belief ended in the 15th century, when the Portuguese arrived in India.
"Oud was forgotten in the 19th century and was only recently rediscovered by Western perfumers in the early 2000s via the Middle East," Schvartz says. But it has taken perfumers some time to understand the full complexity of oud, and even today many are still unaware of its origins.
Today, the oud produced at Jalali Agarwood, along with his Bangladeshi partner Muslah, lends strength and voluptuousness to high-end fragrance creations. "The highest quality wood is called sinking grade. The wood is as black as coal and so dense that it no longer floats on water but sinks like a stone". What does Schvartz mean? Let's find out.
What does oud smell like?
From Laos, Chris Maurice shares a masterclass on the olfactory peculiarities of oud. Maurice, a perfumer from the Carbonnel family, a century-old Spanish company specializing in the production of essential oils and fragrance ingredients, as well as perfume creation and design.
He uses the oud harvested from his own plantations to create his own natural captives, which he then incorporates into his fragrances. He acknowledges that these plantations have helped maintain a steady, albeit limited, supply of oud. Additionally, this activity supports local communities, contributing to their economic growth and well-being.
Is it true that oud smells different depending on its origin? Maurice explains that there are distinct olfactory differences. There are up to 16 varieties of Aquilaria trees, but not all yield the same results. "Only about three species are of real interest: Aquilaria malaccensis and Aquilaria crassna–which are found in India, Thailand, Cambodia, and Indonesia– and Aquilaria sinensis from China, though the latter is less abundant and not as commercially," he clarifies.
What truly makes oud's aroma unique, however, is "the recipe" used for its distillation. This process determines whether the final scent is sweeter–like Thai oud–or more animalic, like Indian oud. The oud produced by Maurice in Laos has a more lactonic and soft quality.
Beyond distillation, it is the perfumer's expertise in working with oud that ultimately shapes its unique character. "Every perfumer can create their own oud," Maurice emphasizes, highlighting the importance of crafting a distinct olfactory signature.
"What truly makes oud's aroma unique is "the recipe" used for its distillation. It can result in a sweeter, animalic, or lactonic oud," says Chris Maurice.
Oud, a rare treasure in perfumery
Where can you find oud in perfumes? To avoid getting lost in the vast sea of grandiose fragrance names, a good rule of thumb is to focus on independent niche perfumery.
For example, perfumer Ramón Monegal, a passionate advocate of oud, has openly admitted to paying a staggering sum for the wild oud used in Alhambra Oud to give it an exceptional character.
Another standout is Alexandria by Xerjoff, a fragrance signed by Chris Maurice himself, which was groundbreaking in the way it blended oud with fruity, spices, and floral notes. In a similar vein, we have Ombre Nomade by Louis Vuitton, composed by Jacques Cavallier-Belletrud, which pairs agarwood with benzoin and raspberry. And the most recent release, Oud Maracujá by Maison Crivelli, is a creation by Jordi Fernández.
Jordi Fernández explains how modern perfumery has reimagined oud in contemporary creations: "Modern oud has evolved to explore new dimensions and surprising combinations with ingredients that traditionally were not associated with it. By blending oud with lighter or unexpected notes, fragrances can achieve a balance that appeals to a wider audience, while honouring the depth and richness of oud".
Oud Maracujá is part of a trilogy that includes Oud Stallion and Oud Cadenza, where Fernández has played with unexpected ingredients to highlight and enhance the richness of oud. "By blending the oud with lighter notes, I create a captivating balance that reveals its complexity in a fresh and contemporary way," he says.
"Modern oud has evolved to explore new dimensions and surprising combinations with ingredients that traditionally were not associated with it," explains perfumer Jordi Fernández.
Iberchem perfumer Ana Gómez notes that oud pairs beautifully with spices like cinnamon, cumin, and cloves. Among florals, rose, and jasmine are the most commonly used.
"Balancing oud with other ingredients is an art that requires great expertise. Oud is incredibly powerful and can easily overpower or mask other elements in a composition," Gómez explains. She points out that incorporating as little as 0.1% to 0.5% of oud can add depth and mystery to a fragrance.
Similarly, Belén García, Master Perfumer at Eurofragance, a company that has specialized in Middle Eastern perfumery for over 30 years, agrees that oud is highly versatile: "It blends exceptionally well with woody, marine, floral, and fruity notes. Her experience working in Eurofragrance's Dubai division has given her a deep expertise in handling this prestigious ingredient: "I can identify which ingredients best complement a specific type of oud based on its olfactory profile," she explains.
Why is oud so captivating? According to Jordi Fernández, the answer lies in its complexity. "The richness, opulence, and power of this magical ingredient create a mystical sensation that transports you to another world when you smell it," he reveals.
