Woodland Note

True Ouddict
Al Hashimi Trad review is coming soon. I already wrote it 2 days ago. I just need to correct the text. :Thumbsup:

But guys, I wanted to share that I just sorta tried Al Hashimi Lindaraja oud (from Papua). I’m going out tomorrow for a bit to deal with a few things and I have thought I will test oud on other people around me. I read a lot about Papuan oud oils to have jungle aspects, being green, resinous and in general the way I like.... as my nickname might suggest. So, I’ve thought to myself I will prepare a little dilution equal of one swipe to apply it tomorrow. But when I was doing it, I was blown away! This is magnificent! And so much different from all the ouds I’ve tried so far and again mind-blowing like Tariq.. It just made me stunned, and shrives went down my spine. And I smelled it only for like 2 minutes. Oh dear! I will try to write about it soon too. I’m in shock. And I’m not even sure if I will use it tomorrow now, because I might be wandering around this oud in my mind instead of focusing on what’s going on around me. XD


My first quick impression would be citrusy, resinous, green like needless of some conifer tree, camphoreous (never smelled camphor but from the descriptions I would associate it), zesty, clean, having some sharp edges... simply beautiful. :D And also very intense! Perhpaps there is some earth, roots, and mosses beneath that. :D I might be in oud love again. :D

I hope I'm not messing up anything, because there was some vetiver scent in my room.:D

Again such a surprise...

I'm very happy and at the same time sad that I decided to open it for use before doing long oud studding session with ambient music. Yeah, I definitely won’t be wearing it tomorrow. It deserves better 1st journey in the comfort of my room. :Thumbsup:
 
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Rasoul Salehi

True Ouddict
When you mix ouds, you will lose the “collective scent” that you smell in your oud cabinet. Blending will create interactions with varying results, not simply addition of notes. It’s like chemical reactions that may mute some notes, magnify others, or create new notes.

Ideally, you should have enough oud so that you can conduct several test batches/blends. Then when you find a blend that works for you, follow that recipe to make a bottle or two. For vendors, that equates to entire distillations set aside to play around with:eek:.

Let’s just say that one bottle of a oud has 15 notes. Mix two bottles together and it’s not likely that you will get 30 notes. You might even yeild only 12 notes. Mix three bottles and still, maybe just 12 notes again:(.

In the very few blends that I experimented with, some high notes mask other notes, it’s like my nose is saying “I’m getting a lot of oud”, but my brain says “oh yeah, but I’m not picking up those notes”.
Also, I find that the base notes are less affected by the union.
What he said.
 

Woodland Note

True Ouddict
Trad (Al Hashimi)

A quicky graphical impression I made using Al Hashimi logo concept:
trad3-alhashimi.png



Same ritual as before, even the knife I were using to cut the plastic stick was cleaned with ethanol, although it was unused, just to be sure.

I applied 2 minutes ago. The opening.... Again I smelled Indian notes, maybe even barn for like 1 minute, but it’s already gone. In some manner this oud oil seems to share some the aspects of Tariq, but I can smell lots of difference already too. :) It transformed very fast, and now it’s almost not Indian, I mean no barn anymore.... it’s floral, definitely floral. This cherry resin might be there too again but it’s almost buried beneath so deep it’s almost not there... Actually it’s already gone too. By the way I can already tell you I like this oil a lot. :Thumbsup:
5 minutes in. Hmm... Hmm... I’m taking sniffs from my forearm... sniff sniff.... It’s sweet, liquor like sweet. I’m not sure where this oil comes from because I don’t know the name of the region on the label, but if it’s Indian then I’m already in love with those ouds and I must retry Mukhmil... Hmm... Hmm... I think this oil has some aspects of Kanz too... Perhaps I could describe it as a stronger version of Kanz with a little bit of something extra. Very strong. But way less intense than Tariq. I read on the label it’s from 2016. So I’m thinking now I could not tell the age of an oil by sniffing it at all. I’m not experienced oud user anyway. This oil is very sweet, like honey sweet. After some time I perceive this rubbery/gummy note. It’s distinctive. But I could not smell it at first, at the opening, and it was very smooth later for the first 20 minutes or so. Basically it’s getting more rough, stronger character with time passing. At first it was so silky smooth as in Kanz. So it’s like more than 30 minutes in now. I smell this pleasant gummy note, with some sweet liquorness, florals and maybe a hint of some pleasant rooty aroma... Maybe this sweet liquor was maturing in oak barrels. But I can’t really tell that it has any woody aspects. If there are then they are buried deep in this sweetness.
And now after some minutes later and when it’s less intense, this rubbery character changes again in the opposite direction, it’s more delicate and some other notes I smell equally strong (though it’s all fainter now the scent is rolling).
I’m thinking this scent is actually a bit “yummy”, this sweet liquor like notes, could be some sweet dried fruits... making me feel this tension on my teeth, thinking about chewing them.
But don’t be scared, it’s still like a perfume, extremely pleasant one.
I hope it’s not washing liquid I used in the shower adding, but I’m thinking also about some marine things, sea, sand and mussels shells. I got a bit of them somewhere (from Mediterranean Sea)... hmm... there could be really many things here I could think of.

Well, I like this oil. But then... I like them all. :D

Oh, by the way, I took only one medium swipe.

Well, I hope you remember that I’m still just a newbie. And you can’ really take any my reviews too serious. Those just are my personal and very subjective impressions. :Thumbsup:


Since Tariq experience and my first ethanol oud oil dilution, I’m doing this with every oil. I’m just adding amount equal to one swipe to already some remaining micro amount from my swipe on a stick (with a fresh plastic stick of course). I do now about 1/2ml - 1/3ml. I got here some little plastic bottles I can basically use one time only or syringes. What I know so far is that that ethanol dilutions seem to last way shorter on skin, but it delivers basically the majority of the pure oud oil experience, just a few times shorter. It also has opening and the stages, just everything is shrunk and less intense. And there are positive and negative sides of this for me, personally. Mostly shorter longevity span is a very bad thing. But having it in a lower concentration, letting me to apply it on a wider surface of my body or some furniture or something is quite positive thing. Applying is easier. And I can dose a bit now a bit then. I can do it a few times from like a single swipe amount.

Edit: Next day afternoon. So, I used a bit of the dilution, splashing it on my laptop (purposely). I definitely smell barn through the quick opening and then sweet florals and oudiness.

Rainy weather today and I’m just back inside from the yard, and I can definitely smell this nice oudy scent in my room! :D

So what is in this liquor. I have limited knowledge, because I’m not alcohol drinker (I drink less in a year than many in a day. Last time I drinked anything was 2 years ago). But... hmm... some whiskey (Jack Daniels) or bourbon sweetness maybe, I don’t know. :)
 
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Woodland Note

True Ouddict
So, I have just checked Al Hashimi site, and I read that Trad is distilled from cultivated Thai trees. Can someone explain why I smell something alike to Indian ouds at the opening for 1-2 mintues? Is this about the tree specie? Hmm...
 

alcolado glacial

True Ouddict
Trad (Al Hashimi)

A quicky graphical impression I made using Al Hashimi logo concept:
View attachment 5658


Same ritual as before, even the knife I were using to cut the plastic stick was cleaned with ethanol, although it was unused, just to be sure.

I applied 2 minutes ago. The opening.... Again I smelled Indian notes, maybe even barn for like 1 minute, but it’s already gone. In some manner this oud oil seems to share some the aspects of Tariq, but I can smell lots of difference already too. :) It transformed very fast, and now it’s almost not Indian, I mean no barn any more.... it’s floral, definitely floral. This cherry resin might be there too again but it’s almost buried beneath so deep it’s almost not there... Actually it’s already gone too. By the way I can already tell you I like this oil a lot. :Thumbsup:
5 minutes in. Hmm... Hmm... I’m taking sniffs from my forearm... sniff sniff.... It’s sweet, liquor like sweet. I’m not sure where this oil comes from because I don’t know the name of the region on the label, but if it’s Indian then I’m already in love with those ouds and I must retry Mukhmil... Hmm... Hmm... I think this oil has some aspects of Kanz too... Perhaps I could describe it as a stronger version of Kanz with a little bit of something extra. Very strong. But way less intense than Tariq. I read on the label it’s from 2016. So I’m thinking now I could not tell the age of an oil by sniffing it all. I’m not experienced oud user anyway. This oil is very sweet, like honey sweet. After some time I perceive this rubbery/gummy note. It’s distinctive. But I could not smell it at first, at the opening, and it was very smooth later for the first 20 minutes or so. Basically it’s getting more rough, stronger character with time passing. At first it was so silky smooth as in Kanz. So it’s like more than 30 minutes in now. I smell this pleasant gummy note, with some sweet liquorness, florals and maybe a hint of some pleasant rooty aroma... Maybe this sweet liquor was maturing in oak barrels. But I can’t really tell that it has any woody aspects. If there are then they are buried deep in this sweetness.
And now after some minutes later and when it’s less intense, this rubbery character changes again in the opposite direction, it’s more delicate and some other notes I smell equally strong (though it’s all fainter now the scent is rolling).
I’m thinking this scent is actually a bit “yummy”, this sweet liquor like notes, could be some sweet dried fruits... making me feel this tension on my teeth, thinking about chewing them.
But don’t be scared, it’s still like a perfume, extremely pleasant one.
I hope it’s not washing liquid I used in the shower adding, but I’m thinking also about some marine things, sea, sand and mussels shells. I got a bit of them somewhere (from Mediterranean Sea)... hmm... there could be really many things here I could think of.

Well, I like this oil. But then... I like them all. :D

Oh, by the way, I took only one medium swipe.

Well, I hope you remember that I’m still just a newbie. And you can’ really take any my reviews too serious. Those just are my personal and very subjective impressions. :Thumbsup:


Since Tariq experience and my first ethanol oud oil dilution, I’m doing this with every oil. I’m just adding amount equal to one swipe to already some remaining micro amount from my swipe on a stick (with a fresh plastic stick of course). I do now about 1/2ml - 1/3ml. I got here some little plastic bottles I can basically use one time or syringes. What I know so far is that that ethanol dilution seem to last way shorter on skin, but it delivers basically the majority of the pure oud oil experience, just a few times shorter. It also has opening and the stages, just everything is shrunk and less intense. And there are positive and negative sides of this for me, personally. Mostly shorter longevity span is a very bad thing. But having it in a lower concentration, letting me to apply it on a wider surface of my body or some furniture or something is quite positive thing. Applying is easier. And I can dose a bit now a bit then. I can do it a few times from like a single swipe amount.

Edit: Next day afternoon. So, I used a bit of the dilution, splashing it on my laptop (purposely). I definitely smell barn through the quick opening and then sweet florals and oudiness.

Rainy weather today and I’m just back inside from the yard, and I can definitely smell this nice oudy scent in my room! :D

So what is in this liquor. I have limited knowledge, because I’m not alcohol drinker (I drink less in a year than many in a day. Last time I drinked anything was 2 years ago). But... hmm... some whiskey (Jack Daniels) or bourbon sweetness maybe, I don’t know. :)
Great review, wanted to say i really love the graphical impression, has a bit of a dark tiki vibe, especially like the effects of splashing water :Thumbsup:
 

Woodland Note

True Ouddict
Great review, wanted to say i really love the graphical impression, has a bit of a dark tiki vibe, especially like the effects of splashing water :Thumbsup:

Thank you for the kind words. :Inlove: Just trying a bit synesthesic way to express what seems like impossible to express anyway. : ) Perhaps one day we will be able to share scents by the web and it all won’t be necessary anymore... : )
 

Woodland Note

True Ouddict
Lovely reviews :D
Thank you so much for theese detailed and great writeups. Really enjoying to read your thoughts and feelings :)

The reason you find something in common in the opening of many ouds is the soaking process before the actual distillation.

Enjoy and please keep this thread alive :D

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to experience these miraculous gifts of nature. ;)
The next will be Lindaraja :Thumbsup: I’m totally hypnotized by this one. :D
 

Woodland Note

True Ouddict
Lindaraja (Al Hashimi - Papua 2016)

A graphical impression made using Al Hashimi logo concept (best viewed when resized) :
lindaraja4-b.png


Same ritual as before. The color of this oil is light green...

Opening: So, this oud has undoubtedly nothing to do with Indian ouds. It’s very different from everything I’ve tried so far. But if I had to point some other oud from the ones I’ve tried to have something in common with it, it would Zamarad from HabzOud. They are very different but I think there is something in common in the scent.

It starts as I mentioned above.

”...citrusy, resinous, green like needless of some conifer tree, camphoreous (never smelled camphor but from the descriptions I would associate it), zesty, clean, having some sharp edges... simply beautiful. And also very intense! Perhaps there is some earth, roots, and mosses beneath that... “

The scent is piercing indeed, fresh, a bit like you would stand by a waterfall in mountain woodlands. ;)

It is smooth, gentle yet intense. Splendid sensual greenness. It maybe has some bitter and sour aspects to it.
So, bitter-sour-sweet. The oudiness is very perceivable. However, that rubbery/gummy/tuberose or whatever you would like to call this thing is present but here seems more complex. You could think of many other things too and the mentioned things could not even cross your mind if you did not try different ouds before. Maybe bitter citrus fruits, something between grapefruit and lime. There is resinousness, there is some green roughness... Like rocks covered by mosses. It’s fresh. In lower concentration it is even more fresh. Yet it is very sublime and noble kind of freshness.
When I sniff most “fresh”, zesty synthetic perfumes on people I find them suitable for a teenager, not for an older mature man, and especially not for a man with a taste. So, this is very different kind of fresh. When I first smelled it in a dilution it was way lighter. Here with pure oil on my forearm it’s more heavy, I would not call it musty but it’s darker, more dense greenness. But going back to noble and sublime, it’s not bold/arrogant type of those either, but neither shy... It’s a mysterious kind.
Hmm... Some conifer trees, woods, mosses, woodland soil... Hmm... I’m thinking also about eucalyptus...
And maybe there is some smooth smokiness here too...
There are so many things here I could think of :rolleyes: This oud is just... like an emerald dream, and like clouds on the sky when you look at them and you see them morphing to different shapes of different things.

The “oudiness” is very distinctive in this one. I’m not sure if it’s just how it is, the amount of specific chemical compounds or the composition that make “oudisness" thing more perceptible.

This is beauty and complete perfume on it’s own but I can bet it would blend with any grassy/green scents like a charm. Perfect perfume ingredient, and not the type I would put in the background. It would be in the base notes.

I really like this one. If I had money and I had to decide between all oils I’ve tried so far and choose only one to buy, it would be this one. It’s my kind of scent. :Thumbsup:

Oh, one more thing, this oud indeed has specific opening and then changes a bit later but I don’t smell significant changes. It rolls on mostly with the same notes for me I think. But more tests are needed... :D
 
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Woodland Note

True Ouddict
I’m feeling a bit ashamed. I’ve received lots of ouds from certain kind and generous man and I have not tried any of them yet, and I still have one Al Hashimi oil left to investigate. But those scents seem to me too beautiful to just simply open the vials and sniff them one by one. They deserve some adoration and focus. This way also helps me to experience them deeper and learn more. Also trying more than one a day or even in a day row seems not a good idea for me too. I need fresh mind and fresh room conditions.:) And life is not always about pleasures :rolleyes: But I’m looking forward to trying them all with the excitement. :D

From now on I will be experiencing oud oils for the first time as I did before. Because that way lets me to get an idea about a particular oud strength, projection, sillage and longevity. But afterwards when using it in privacy of my room, I will be using certain diffuser materials. I’ve been testing for a few days now different types of materials and I've got some success. I would not say I found the perfect way yet but certain materials I tried hold the scents around 4 to 20 times longer (with ethanol dilution) I did not try pure oils on them yet. So I feel it’s a better way, and more cost effective. Enjoying oud for longer while much less oil is used.
 
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Woodland Note

True Ouddict
Ah! The smell in my room.. So delightful! :rolleyes:

It is oudy last days... Things blend in the air... I can’t really tell which oils are responsible... but it’s very blissful. :) Perhaps oud is the best scent after all... ever.

I’ve tried recently another wood from Al Hashimi, Assam Wild, and I’m a bit sad, not like disappointed in wood, but sad because of my inabilities to tell the difference between the previous one I tried and the new one. Sure there are some small differences I detect in a way both behave, but I can’t tell much difference regarding the notes. So I’m disappointed with my nose. :(

On a side note I would add a saffron to both of their notes. Well, it’s neither caccao, neither vanilla, neither saffron, but there is some pleasant sweetness that in some ways might be reminiscent of those, to me.
 
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Woodland Note

True Ouddict
Zamrak (Al Hashimi - Sabah 2017)

A graphical impression made using Al Hashimi logo concept ( ...I wonder if anyone will notice something special I put in this pic ;P) :
zamrak.png

Same ritual as before.;)

The color of this oud is pale amber/golden.

The Opening: So, this oud is more close to what I’ve already got to know in other Al Hashimi oils unlike Lindaraja. Trad especially. There is this note present here which dear and respected @AbasFrag was explaining a few posts above with the soaking process, in the opening, for the first minute or two, but it’s even more mild. Hmm... Hmm... There is something in common with Trad I think, but I would say the scent is more piercing, sharp, acidic maybe....... Maybe more resinous and spicy. Or maybe... I can smell some resemblance to what I have in my agarwood powder (Aquilaria Subintegra/Malaccensis) tincture a bit too. After 5 minutes it transforms to floral. The rubbery note is distinctive, but it’s covered with flowers. Lilies, tuberose... actually, I smell some resemblance to HabzOud Al Sukar too.

But it’s maybe more powdery kind of scent. Like fine wood powder powdery. So I could say I guess it has woody notes too. I already know what I will put on the impression picture. :D A vase full of lily flowers on antique table...
Hmm... I would not say this scent is light, neither dark. But maybe it’s hard to judge this in such high concentration of the scent (pure oil). I put quite normal sized swipe on my left forearm. Maybe in a dilution it would be a lighter scent. Here it’s dense... So, that flowers radiate quite a lot of fragrance, like you would put your nose inside of one, or maybe a whole bouquet. ;)

Hmmm... 10 minutes in, definitely this oud oil has stages. It’s getting more sweet! :)
So, Al Sukar comparison is quite justified. It’s getting more clear and multifaceted, more smooth and refined.

Floral, resinous, woody, sweet... elegant and refined.


Lindaraja is still my number one, but this one is a very nice change after a few days in the murky emerald forest by waterfalls. ;)Like I would find myself now on the meadow with a little stream with crystal clear water where the wild lilies are blooming on its bank and the autumn sun is shining, and making pleasantly warm air around. :Thumbsup:


One hour in, the drydown is very charming too, florals, honey, beewaxed wood. :Thumbsup: And the scent is still quite strong. :)


Compared to Al Sukar this one has in my opinion a very slightly more sour/acidic/sharp aspect to it, like citrusy type, but I would not say it’s fruity at all.

I can’t really judge/compare the projection and longevity because I never do exactly the same size of swipe, it’s mostly random. (And I took only a little dot of Al Sukar) But I have an impression that this one might have more longativity and projection than Al Sukar.

I can say I’m surprised with some kind of resemblance for the first time, though I still find it different and unique.
Hmm... I’ve seen quite a few people very happy with HabzOud Al Sukar here on Ouddict and it was sold oud quite fast as well... So, If you liked Al Sukar and you are looking for something of this kind, I’m quite convinced you would be happy with Zamrak too. :Thumbsup:
 
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Woodland Note

True Ouddict
So, I carefully unwrapped the plastic foil from the 13 vial samples I've been gifted by certain fellow ouddict member. Even the foil smells beautiful and oudy for now, so I did not bin it but I put it back to my cabinet with clothing. Till oudiness is there I won’t bin even a wrapping. Let it give back the stolen oudiness for a while. :rolleyes:

Oud oil labeled as “E” (vendor, region and the year of distillation unknown)

4.png



But it’s definitely oud oil. ;) The vial had to be tightly sealed, it had no smell on its own at all, at least detectable by me. But once opened.... :) A burst of flowers and citrus like scent....

No barn at all. Hmmm... The opening scent is sharp... a bit like in Tariq, Lindaraja or Zamrak.
But there is no this initial thing (1-2min barn) I had with a few Al Hashimi oils.

It’s floral and rubbery... beautiful and refined almost straight away. It’s definitely different from all the ouds I’ve tried so far (from Al Hashimi and Habzoud houses) definitely it’s none of the ones I’ve already tried... Could I guess the origin and the tree specie? I guess not, I’m not that advanced user yet. But I would say its not Papua neither Thai... Maybe Borneo/Cambodian? Wild guesses... and the region is not all... There can be a few species growing in some regions... am I right? I think I need to stop looking at regions and look more closer into tree species...

It’s 5 minutes in and it morphs so fast, first flowers and rubbery, then maybe a bit of sheep skin/fur... but really, it’s not barn... The rubbery note is strong but covered with mass of flowers.

If you read my last review of Zamrak... Compared to that one everything here is more honed, more chilled, citrusy and piercing... almost like in Lindaraja... but then it’s only this aspects from it, the notes itself is totally different.

In short words taking into account all my previous oud adventures, I could say this one is most floral so far with most distinctive rubbery note, yet it’s “cooled/chilled” citrusy like kind of zesty scent... refreshing fragrance...

Could have some woody aspects too... like antique wood.

Hmm... if I had point closest oud by notes maybe Zamarad a bit.

It might have resinous and spicy notes too, like cannabis can be resinous spicy green...

Yes, definitely green woody accords... like spicy chypre perfumes for ladies can have...
but this is not warm but chilled.
And floral... maybe lilies with a bit of roses?

It’s beautiful... I could really tell you dozens of things, leaves, amber, oakmoss, green woods, flowers, sea breeze... the list would not end... just like I said before about some other ouds.... you might wander for long hours finding in it many things you can think of.

Stand alone, as it is I find it more famine than masculine fragrance though, or unisex, what I mean is that it’s not very and only masculine scent for me personally, because of its floral radiance...

One hour in, still very strong... with definitely woody aspects...


Two hours later still the scent is going strong. :) Maybe it is a tad fruity in the way lemon and lime are... I got that impression when I was walking outside, where is colder now... Hmm... is it smoky? Hmm... I don’t think so... but I can’t tell for sure because people around are burning stuff all day long today and I can smell it, probably leaves, tree branches, hay... but this oud blends well with it... hmm...

3 hours later, the scent is faded but it’s still there! The longevity of this one is very decent! Maybe it’s even better than I think, since I have on myself some hoodie with long sleeves and I wasn’t paying attention for the last hour what is happening. The notes is oudy, rubbery, floral, sweet, herbal, but the skin might be affecting it. I will check it out soon on some other surface.

6 hours later, complex notes is faded, but oudiness and some shadow of the notes is still detectable! Wow... I don’t think any of previous oils lasted so long. The projection seems average but the longevity... :Thumbsup:

8 hours later, still detectable... very little now... but when I start sniffing my forearm I can still find it.

And I adore this drydown, it’s very pleasant woody oudiness.

Time to sleep, I swiped again my forearms, but I also sprinkled with Zamrak dilution to add sweetness. But I won’t be commenting on this oud experience further. ;)

Edit: I had finished the picture and I was correcting the text to post it here, but I decided to try it again. This time not on my skin but using the vial’s cap dipstick I put a bit of oil on another plastic stick, same type I used to get oil out of the v-vials. And I’m sniffing it again... oh dear... Amazing. After 3 minutes of sniffing the oil from the stick and not the skin I’m getting different accords from the ones I smelled on my skin. Well, a bit, not entirely... but the scent is not powdery at all... less citrusy... but even more floral and more sweet, this distinctive rubbery note is much more honeyed, it smells... hmm.... with the sweet flowers.. a bit in a way hyacinths or lilac flowers smell.... But considering it’s heavier, more dense, and more sweet scent, it’s more like hyacinths... oh crap, should I redo the pic? And then sniff all the ouds I’ve tried so far again? Because if this one smells different on a stick than on my skin... then maybe all do... :( Well, actually that sounds like a nice idea to me... :D I’m just not ready to get back... because I crave trying new ones...

I don’t know... maybe, I like it even better this way... This is crystal clear floral, honey scent now... with a little bit of the rubbery... but the rubbery is beautiful too, like in tuberose, or maybe I should say like in oud... and it’s having it’s own temperature... acting on the nose in similar fashion menthol does... well maybe it is a bit minty scent too... well, I’m so lost in it... it’s just a very nice oud. :p Seeking the words and comparisons will never do justice of the reality of it. :)

I have so much to learn... And now... 1 hour later, amazing the stick is laying (the way the end part with oil is suspended in the air) near by on my desk, 1 meter away, and I can smell that fragrant aura from here... sweet white delicate mysterious flowers...

I no longer know what to think... It smells different on the skin, different from the plastic stick... but it likely evaporates longer from that second one, being closer to the experience of sniffing a vial directly.

Edit2: after some time I find citrusy notes on the stick too indeed... Hmm... when I’m thinking about the agarwood wood I’ve been heating... I find something in common with that too... hmm... but only when I started to think about it...


PS
Big THANK YOU to both my kind and generous donor and to the person who extracted this beautiful oud. :Thumbsup: And to the mother nature who designed it! ;):Thumbsup:
 
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Woodland Note

True Ouddict
Vietnam Blaze (Aquilaria crassna - plantation, a kind gift from powdernose)

v blaze.png


Same rituals as always. :Thumbsup:


Opening, I think I’m in the oud love again, O_O after short (1 minute or less) but also mild typical oudy opening I’m getting definitely a new type of oud. By “new” I mean a one I’ve never smelled before.

It’s indeed smokey, as dear and respected PowderNose has mentioned to me. Oudiness is strong! It’s not overwhelming fragrance in the way some ouds were to me before, but it’s still intense. It’s like full-bodied perfume to me. Hah, I repeat that a lot in some of my posts but with each time I repeat that it’s likely something even more like that compared to the things of this sort I had tried before.

10 minutes in. It’s very oudy. It’s sweet, dark... PowderNose did tell me he is sending two oils to me, one sweet and this one... He did not mention this one as sweet, but for me it is. It’s not indian/barny type at all... It’s sweet and floral, but at the same time it’s not bright... It’s more dark, deep... but at the same time elegant and refined, sensual but hmm... it’s hmm... almost wicked dark kind of sensuality... I’m just describing how my mind is feeling about it. ;)

Hmm.... The notes... I’m struggling with it... Herbal, heavy honeyness, wood, caramel, exotic flowers, freshly dyed hair of a beautiful lady, maybe some umami like saltiness like in some very high grade soy sauce... (the best I’ve ever tried was some limited edition of Amoy)... or maybe sweat saltiness of someone who run 20 miles marathon... or maybe it’s not that... maybe it’s an aroma of a cork from some very old good bottle of wine... Well... We all know oud scent can’t really be explained like this... Mind can wander on many things but it’s not really any of those... so I will just stop here.

You know, I’m just watching some new medieval movie, Outlaw King from 2018, and I see the robe of the king and I sniff this oud and I think to myself this robe could smell like this, why not.

My first impression though was it smells luxury and dark but warm. I could imagine some yakuza boss’s dark wooden room in the heart of rainy Asian jungle... Rainy is not a random word, the smell is giving me some musty, sandy vibe... Perhaps something from vetiver and myrrh both... I think I could say this oud oil has incensy aspect.

I tried it later along sweet grass and agarwood tincture too, but I did not liked the effects of combining those scents. I think it smells best on its own to me. However, I’m wondering how it would smell when combing it with leathery accords. I might soon put my hands on labdanum (to be not confused with laudanum ;)) and try it.

I think it’s manly and in mature serious way elegant fragrance.

Thank you powdernose for sharing with me this beautiful oud! :Thumbsup:
 
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Woodland Note

True Ouddict
I mentioned about trying Vietnam Blaze along sweet grass and agarwood tincture because in private messages with powdernose I told him that I've tried this way with the Oud labeled as "E" and I liked the effect. I think this took away a bit of it's rubbery rubberness and turned it to even more sweet florals.

Anyway, time for another review. This time sandalwood! :thumbsup:

The stuff I wrote a few weeks ago (and I’m posting now with minor corrections and further thoughts) :

Srilankan Sandalwood wood (from Al Hashimi)

Today I decided to place one chip on my heater, on gentle temperature.
I smelled the scent almost straight away after I turned heat on! :Thumbsup:
And wow! It’s much better than I have expected! :Thumbsup:
The chips/shavings are quite large compared to what I’ve been using with agarwood. mabe 3-4 times of the size of longrain rice. There were many in the bag so I put a whole one on the plate.
I will never stop getting amazed with natural scents.

Hmmm... Hmm... I think I can say it’s a multilayered scent. I find it more elegant and “perfume-like” than Srilankan sandalwood oil. It’s so soft... so.... light... velvety... smooth... refined... In comparison, the oil was heavy. I’m not criticizing the oil of course, not at all, it has other qualities, and it’s quite different anyway. Too bad I don’t have much sandalwood experience. This is the very first one I’ve tried.
Perhaps this is also like a traditional perfume scent that other people who are not into essential oils, perfumes, and the scent science, like we are here, would agree with me. I mean, sure agarwood oil is much more complex and it’s also like a full bodied perfume... What I mean is that, oud standalone in my opinion is not a thing many Europeans would associate automatically with the word “perfume” if they smelled it for the first time... Perhaps they would be guessing a mix of differed things... wandering... But if a random European sniffed the scent of this heated wood... I’ll bet that very likely in his or her mind the word “perfume” would pop up very quickly. It’s more conventional type of fragrance for the European nose such as mine.

Anyway, my impressions are it’s sweet, very sweet, very woody, this is actually close to the thing I was referring in my post here -> http://www.ouddict.com/threads/sandalwood-oil-for-the-newbie.1190/ It’s light and silky... when sniffing it from close it’s tad overwhelming but still making me want more... more...

Well, it’s on gentle heat right now, there is no smoke or vapors visible at the moment. I’m putting my nose not far from the heater sniffing it in high concentration. It’s quite addictive. :)

Well, this is without doubt the sweetest wood I have smelled so far. :)
Is it creamy/buttery... hmm... not in a way I expected. (but in a positive way) I think one could say it’s creamy scent, but I would rather refer to its creaminess as sweet silkiness of the woody notes but not the notes itself. The notes in my personal feeling is composed from woody aspects and complex sweetness that almost bites the nose in a very pleasant way.

I think this scent is very suitable for a perfume, and not much to add is needed if anything...

This sandalwood does not remind me of the wood paint I mentioned when describing the oil, neither other things. Except for some woody aspects, but here they are more light yet intense, more like woody accords in perfumes.
This is a bit odd, because I find this heated wood more like a perfume than I have found the sandalwood oil.

Sensual and nostalgic, warm... hmm... Perhaps it’s very subjective and influenced by meeting with some of such notes before in my past. It reminds me a bit of certain cosmetic shops I had visited when I was very young kid with my parents. Some specific ones. Not the modern ones, over 25 years ago. Hmm... It reminds me a bit of ironed linen and cloths too.
Somehow when I contemplate it images of such shops, and also women’s clothing, some wooly sweaters and warmth of female body pop up in my mind. Hmm...

When the chip was heated for longer and with higher temperature, the scent became more yummy kind of buttery, pleasantly nutty... more like something I would not mind eating... miam miam. :)
 
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Woodland Note

True Ouddict
Oud oil labeled as “G” (vendor, region and year of distillation unknown)
Received as a gift from certain kind & generous ouddict member who wishes to remain anonymous.

g1.png


Same rituals as always. I tried it yesterday night and today again.

Opening: Hmm... Is it Indian? Hmm... Hmm... Hmm... I’m not sure. There is something... Hmm... funky at the opening... It’s around 10 minutes in, and I have been struggling with naming it. I would not say it was fecal, and something I would expect from Indian after trying Mukhmil... but... hmm there is something just funky when sniffing it straight from the vial and when it’s starting... Wood, onions, maybe tad like horse droppings type of thing... but no, it’s not really like this.... it’s just something... funky... a bit... I can’t really describe it... Anyway 10 minutes after the notes is woody, beautiful and I would even say meditative quality. It’s sweet, all ouds are, but here it’s more balanced balsamic sweetness. Yes, this oud I would call woody. Like some old shop full of antique furniture and mysteries. Oh... ... I just took a deep sniff, and you know... I got touched.... Aye, the beauty of such scent makes me feel an internal delight and deep admiration for it’s beauty. It’s floral and woody now, and more honey like sweet. Not light not heavy... just balanced... perfectly. But in my mind pictures are more dark... like dark places with just a few streaks/lining of the sunlight. Contrasting in a warm way. Like in some Caravaggio’s paintings . Now I would definitely not call it barny nor Indian, not at all. Maybe Cambodian? But then it’s again unlike most of the oils I’ve tried. Or maybe it’s something in between Cambodian and Vietnamese? I don’t know and I probably won’t know till I try all of them. But it doesn’t really mater much, the true point is to enjoy it. :)


And this one is really beautiful, like some fairy tale of very old times. By the way, since I was already overwhelmed after opening the vial, and then sniffing the oud from the stick. (I used one time only plastic stick instead of the cap dipper) I did not even put everything what was on the stick. I would even consider the swipe I did very small. And I have that plastic stick in some clean 10ml plastic bottle right now waiting, no need to waste it for now, I might swipe again later tonight or I will pour alcohol and get the dilution for latter.


Now when I sniff it, I think there is something in the notes similar to what I sniffed in catholic churches, I don’t know maybe mix of different things, old things, old books, candles, incense, flowers (lilies)....
Very enigmatic notes, and maybe the most woody so far. I’m not sure if it’s the music I’m listening right now but I’m in sentimental nostalgia mood.


I don’t know, but this is not happy oud for me, maybe it’s not sad either but there is something dignified about it.


Very beautiful. :Thumbsup:


When I’m sniffing it again another day, I’m thinking there is maybe some medicinal, syrupy earthy, aspect to its notes soon after the opening. And the opening before that hmm... a bit like some odd onions with mushrooms with sweet cough syrup... maybe.
 
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Grega

True Ouddict
Oud oil labeled as “G” (vendor, region and year of distillation unknown)
Received as a gift from certain kind & generous ouddict member who wishes to remain anonymous.

View attachment 6254

Same rituals as always. I tried it yesterday night and today again.

Opening: Hmm... Is it Indian? Hmm... Hmm... Hmm... I’m not sure. There is something... Hmm... funky at the opening... It’s around 10 minutes in, and I have been struggling with naming it. I would not say it was fecal, and something I would expect from Indian after trying Mukhmil... but... hmm there is something just funky when sniffing it straight from the vial and when it’s starting... Wood, onions, maybe tad like horse droppings type of thing... but no, it’s not really like this.... it’s just something... funky... a bit... I can’t really describe it... Anyway 10 minutes after the notes is woody, beautiful and I would even say meditative quality. It’s sweet, all ouds are, but here it’s more balanced balsamic sweetness. Yes, this oud I would call woody. Like some old shop full of antique furniture and mysteries. Oh... ... I just took a deep sniff, and you know... I got touched.... Aye, the beauty of such scent makes me feel an internal delight and deep admiration for it’s beauty. It’s floral and woody now, and more honey like sweet. Not light not heavy... just balanced... perfectly. But in my mind pictures are more dark... like dark places with just a few streaks/lining of the sunlight. Contrasting in a warm way. Like in some Caravaggio’s paintings . Now I would definitely not call it barny nor Indian, not at all. Maybe Cambodian? But then it’s again unlike most of the oils I’ve tried. Or maybe it’s something in between Cambodian and Vietnamese? I don’t know and I probably won’t know till I try all of them. But it doesn’t really mater much, the true point is to enjoy it. :)


And this one is really beautiful, like some fairy tale of very old times. By the way, since I was already overwhelmed after opening the vial, and then sniffing the oud from the stick. (I used one time only plastic stick instead of the cap dipper) I did not even put everything what was on the stick. I would even consider the swipe I did very small. And I have that plastic stick in some clean 10ml plastic bottle right now waiting, no need to waste it for now, I might swipe again later tonight or I will pour alcohol and get the dilution for latter.


Now when I sniff it, I think there is something in the notes similar to what I sniffed in catholic churches, I don’t know maybe mix of different things, old things, old books, candles, incense, flowers (lilies)....
Very enigmatic notes, and maybe the most woody so far. I’m not sure if it’s the music I’m listening right now but I’m in sentimental nostalgia mood.


I don’t know, but this is not happy oud for me, maybe it’s not sad either but there is something dignified about it.


Very beautiful. :Thumbsup:


When I’m sniffing it again another day, I’m thinking there is maybe some medicinal, syrupy earthy, aspect to its notes soon after the opening. And the opening before that hmm... a bit like some odd onions with mushrooms with sweet cough syrup... maybe.
My favorite review from you. With the lovely music it puts me in an introspective mood. A mood of grasping for something just beyond reach, hidden behind a mist, behind a veil. Not sad nor happy as you say but more like a mood of longing for things unseen, only felt. My kind of mood ;) Curious which oil it is!
 

Woodland Note

True Ouddict
My favorite review from you. With the lovely music it puts me in an introspective mood. A mood of grasping for something just beyond reach, hidden behind a mist, behind a veil. Not sad nor happy as you say but more like a mood of longing for things unseen, only felt. My kind of mood ;) Curious which oil it is!

Yes, something like that. :Thumbsup:

I forgot to mention, it’s probably the darkest colored oil of all oils I have here. From away it looks almost black. Under light in thick amount it’s very dense red, but in thin amount it has dark yellowish/green appearance. At least under artificial light. I might take a look tomorrow in sunlight.
 
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