Oudh is a highly prized and expensive ingredient in the perfume industry, known for its smoky, woody, and complex fragrance. It is extracted from the wood of the Agar (Aquilaria) tree, which is mainly found in Southeast Asia, and is the result of a defense mechanism secreted by the tree against certain fungi. The resin is the result when the tree is infected by a certain fungus (Phialophora parasitica), and the wood turns dark and has a typical smell. Oudh is considered a luxury product, and its price can sometimes exceed that of gold.
Here are some positive and negative aspects of oudh:
Positive:
- Oudh has a smoky and mysterious smell that is appreciated for its sweet, woody, aromatic, and complex fragrance.
- It is a highly prized ingredient due to its rarity and is considered a luxury product.
- Oudh wood is considered a divine manifestation with the power to purify the body, and the highly fragrant resin can be used for therapeutic purposes.
- Oudh is incredibly complex in its raw form, and it can have every olfactory nuance in it, from wild berries and ocean air to incense and leather.
Negative:
- Oudh is one of the most expensive perfume ingredients in the world.
- It takes a long time to develop naturally, and certain natural circumstances need to convene for it to form within the aquilaria tree.
- Oudh has wrongly been criticized as smelling fecal or like moldy cheese, although there are some varieties that do embody those flavors.
The ingredients or materials used to make oudh perfume are the dark, pungent essential oil that is extracted from the agarwood tree. The oil is then soaked, and using a distillation and evaporation method, it is developed into an oil. Some companies use synthetic oudh to replicate elements of the natural scent.
