Royal Oud Powder - 10 g

Scientific Name: Agarwood

Family: Aquilaria - Thymelaeaceae

Origin: Southeast Asia

Color: Light brown

Aroma: Musky, caramel, woody

Properties: Antiasthmatic, expectorant, antiemetic and anti-nausea

Quantity: 10 grams

Oud or agarwood (or ūd, from Arabic) is a very precious resin produced by a tree of the Aquilaria family – now endangered – when it is attacked by fungi or molds.

Among the most precious woods in the world, oud is used to create the highest quality incense ever produced in perfumery.

The star aroma of oriental perfumes, it has always been used by Arab, Indian, and Japanese populations in religious rituals.

The Arabs have always used it as a main ingredient in the creation of fragrances for men and women.

This precious essence presents musky, root, and earthy nuances, but also sweet notes such as cocoa, caramel, honey, incense, and vanilla.

Fun Fact:

The name oudh or oud is used in the United Arab Emirates to refer to both agar wood (agarwood) and the fragrant oil derived from it.

A mythical and precious material, it has been known since time immemorial in various cultures and religions such as Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, Taoism, Sufism, as well as in the medicinal practices of Ayurveda, Arabic, Tibetan, and Chinese medicine.

The use of agar wood is mentioned in the oldest Indian Vedas (2000 BC), as well as the use of the word aloe (another name used to refer to agar wood) is reported numerous times in the Old Testament.

Also known as “Wood of the Gods” or “King of Incenses”, agarwood is identified by different names depending on the countries where it is produced and used: as already mentioned, oud or oudh in the United Arab Emirates, gaharu in Malaysia and India, jinko in Japan, eaglewood or aloeswood in Indonesia, chen xiang in China.

Chemically, the smell of oud consists of a complex mixture of different sesquiterpenes and their derivatives (mostly α and δ guaienes, α humulene), agarofurane, agarospirols, and several oxygenated compounds based on the structure of phenylethylchromones.

The resulting olfactory profile is rich and complex and varies between sweet, balsamic, earthy, moldy, barnyard, leather, smoky, bitter, spicy, woody, and animalic characteristics; a profile that varies depending on the species of tree that produces the resinous wood from which the oil is extracted, as well as the technique and expertise used in hydro-distillation.

Use of the resin: to burn it, charcoal briquettes must be used. They should be lit with a flame from a lighter or stove, so it is recommended to use tongs or similar to avoid unpleasant burns. When the charcoal begins to ignite over the entire surface, it is time to place it in the burner to burn the resin and add the resin itself.

Experts recommend putting a little sand around the essence burner to help it dissipate heat better.