Oud sits at the heart of Middle Eastern perfumery and has shaped modern niche fragrance for two decades. The note smells smoky, resinous, leathery and faintly barnyard, depending on the source. It is the most expensive raw material in mainstream use, and one of the most polarising.
Oud (also called agarwood, oudh or dehn al oud) is formed inside Aquilaria trees when the heartwood is infected by a specific mould. The tree defends itself by producing a dark resin. Only a small percentage of wild trees produce oud naturally, so most commercial supply now comes from inoculated plantation trees in Cambodia, Laos, Assam, Thailand and Indonesia.
Perfumers temper oud with rose and saffron in Arabian compositions, with leather and spice in modern niche work, and with patchouli and musk in smoother Western interpretations. It is almost always a base note. It projects strongly and persists overnight.
Wear in cool weather, in the evening, under wool or silk. Skin heat unfurls the resinous depth. A single dab on the wrist is the maximum starting dose for most modern niche oud compositions.
