Louis Miller
Oud Fanatic
Hello!
Today, my first shipment from Ensar will arrive. Two more from Imperial Oud and Rising Pheonix are en route. Here's my attempt to document the journey:
The Backstory
You might say I'm taking a bit of a blind leap into this world of artisinal oud. Here in New York City we have some very good retailers (Enfleurage, to name one), and I have certainly come to appreciate the therapeutic and transformational powers of high-grade essential oils and absolutes, but I'm no connoiseur.
So, why oud, why now? Well, life in NYC is unceasingly intense, but last few months have been particularly and profoundly challenging on a personal level. I endured a painful ending to the most important romantic relationship of my life. I've also begun to transition away from my primary income sources, private teaching and lawyering in the mental health field, towards a greater devotion to music and composition. (Perhaps not the best time to take an interest in liquid gold?)
So as I've moved through these experiences, I've wanted to be tapped in to my deepest self, and to be grounded in my emotions and intuition. A couple weeks ago I noticed that I was craving oils and aromas, so I reached for an essential oil blend I had around the house, consisting of spruce, ho leaf, frankincense, and blue tansy. Pleasant and grounding, but familiar and not particularly powerful. Unsatisfied, I checked out a few online retailers for any new or exciting natural fragrances, and I came upon an interesting find: agarwood attar! The words in the description ("Earthy, sensual, animalic, grounding, powerful . . . euphorically relaxing while enhancing mental clarity and purpose) caught my attention, so I did some more research . . .
WOW! The depths and details of oud are intoxicating, even before I've smelled it! I watched some youtube videos, read some articles . . . needless to say, I was intrigued and eager to have my first experience.
But where to start? What to buy? I knew I wanted to experience artisinally crafted wild oil, but had NO IDEA what scent would suit my tastes. I'd read on some other website (basenotes.com?) that Ensar, Imperial Oud, and Rising Pheonix are three consistently top-notch vendors, so I chose some oils somewhat randomly from among those three houses, and here is the motley crew of ouds that I have on the way:
The Oils
Ensar Oud: Assam Wilde (.3g sample)
+ a mystery gift sample ?!?!
Imperial Oud: Sinensis III (.3 g sample)
Rising Pheonix: Cambodi Fusion, Vintage 1999 Co-Distillation (1g)
SumbaWALLA Emerald Incense - Sumbawa Gyrinops Musk Oud Oil - 2017 (.3g sample)
Since ordering these oils, I've been insatiably reading and researching, taking in as many oud reviews as I could find, and I found this forum! It's funny; I'm beyond excited to recieve my oils, but already wish I'd known then what I know now before ordering these particular choices for my first impression. IO Sinensis, I've since learned, is not even a distillation, but a CO2! Maybe I should have aimed to sample oils from each of the main fragrance profiles (barnyward, resinous-woody, green, fruity-floral, if my newfound understanding is roughly accurate?).
In any event, I can't wait to find out what treasures I've discovered. I'll post again once my first oil arrives. The journey begins!
Today, my first shipment from Ensar will arrive. Two more from Imperial Oud and Rising Pheonix are en route. Here's my attempt to document the journey:
The Backstory
You might say I'm taking a bit of a blind leap into this world of artisinal oud. Here in New York City we have some very good retailers (Enfleurage, to name one), and I have certainly come to appreciate the therapeutic and transformational powers of high-grade essential oils and absolutes, but I'm no connoiseur.
So, why oud, why now? Well, life in NYC is unceasingly intense, but last few months have been particularly and profoundly challenging on a personal level. I endured a painful ending to the most important romantic relationship of my life. I've also begun to transition away from my primary income sources, private teaching and lawyering in the mental health field, towards a greater devotion to music and composition. (Perhaps not the best time to take an interest in liquid gold?)
So as I've moved through these experiences, I've wanted to be tapped in to my deepest self, and to be grounded in my emotions and intuition. A couple weeks ago I noticed that I was craving oils and aromas, so I reached for an essential oil blend I had around the house, consisting of spruce, ho leaf, frankincense, and blue tansy. Pleasant and grounding, but familiar and not particularly powerful. Unsatisfied, I checked out a few online retailers for any new or exciting natural fragrances, and I came upon an interesting find: agarwood attar! The words in the description ("Earthy, sensual, animalic, grounding, powerful . . . euphorically relaxing while enhancing mental clarity and purpose) caught my attention, so I did some more research . . .
WOW! The depths and details of oud are intoxicating, even before I've smelled it! I watched some youtube videos, read some articles . . . needless to say, I was intrigued and eager to have my first experience.
But where to start? What to buy? I knew I wanted to experience artisinally crafted wild oil, but had NO IDEA what scent would suit my tastes. I'd read on some other website (basenotes.com?) that Ensar, Imperial Oud, and Rising Pheonix are three consistently top-notch vendors, so I chose some oils somewhat randomly from among those three houses, and here is the motley crew of ouds that I have on the way:
The Oils
Ensar Oud: Assam Wilde (.3g sample)
+ a mystery gift sample ?!?!
Imperial Oud: Sinensis III (.3 g sample)
Rising Pheonix: Cambodi Fusion, Vintage 1999 Co-Distillation (1g)
SumbaWALLA Emerald Incense - Sumbawa Gyrinops Musk Oud Oil - 2017 (.3g sample)
Since ordering these oils, I've been insatiably reading and researching, taking in as many oud reviews as I could find, and I found this forum! It's funny; I'm beyond excited to recieve my oils, but already wish I'd known then what I know now before ordering these particular choices for my first impression. IO Sinensis, I've since learned, is not even a distillation, but a CO2! Maybe I should have aimed to sample oils from each of the main fragrance profiles (barnyward, resinous-woody, green, fruity-floral, if my newfound understanding is roughly accurate?).
In any event, I can't wait to find out what treasures I've discovered. I'll post again once my first oil arrives. The journey begins!
Last edited: