Agarwood (Oud)

Agarwood, commonly known as oud, is one of the most prized and expensive ingredients in all of perfumery. It comes from the resinous heartwood of Aquilaria trees that have been infected by a specific type of mold.

When the tree fights this infection, it produces a dark, fragrant resin that transforms the wood into something extraordinary. The scent of real oud is complex and unlike anything else.

It can smell woody, smoky, sweet, leathery, and even slightly animalic all at once. Oud has been used in Middle Eastern perfumery for thousands of years, where it holds deep cultural significance.

In recent decades, Western perfume houses have embraced oud and made it one of the most popular trends in luxury fragrance. Because natural oud is incredibly rare and expensive, many perfumes use synthetic oud molecules that capture certain facets of the real thing.

Good synthetic oud can smell remarkably close to natural, though connoisseurs can tell the difference. Oud pairs beautifully with rose, saffron, sandalwood, and amber, creating rich and opulent compositions.