Reviewer Rules and Guidelines
Dear Reviewer,
I wanted to go through a couple of rules and guidelines for the Blind Oud Test. Please read through this in its entirety and please do so at least twice. Also, please reply to this message confirming you have done so.
1. The most basic rule, is that you are not allowed to share any of the information regarding your participation in this test (however trivial) with any other oud aficionado. You will not be able to consult with any oud aficionado (other than myself) regarding any matter pertaining to this test until after publication of the results; the Blind Test is a solo and secretive process. I will be monitoring this matter closely. If it comes to my attention or that of the 2nd referees that information has been shared or that you have sought consultations, you will be
disqualified. In the case of any ambiguities, I will err on the side of caution and
disqualify!
2. I've already mentioned that you will not be allowed to use any of your own oud oils. For the duration of the test, the oud samples you receive should consist a cosmos of their own. Seeking to identify a blind sample by hunting for an identical in your own stash is obviously poor practice! In fact any attempt to identify any sample, by any means, would be foul play. I'd say anyone who can't resist that basic temptation is a bad candidate and should exclude themselves now. If I get any indication that this rule was not followed, I will err on the side of caution and
disqualify!
3. Besides the exclusion of other oud oils for the duration of the test, there are no other restrictions as to what you may smell. Feel free to heat/fumigate oud wood. Feel free to use perfumes, essential oils, mukhallats, or any other fragrant material as long as it does not primarily consist of oud oil.
4. You will be receiving between 5-8 oud oils in 0.1g quantities, and reviewing them within a time-frame of 9-12 days. The actual number of samples and the deadline for submitting results will only be declared after you've received the parcel.
5. The reviews need to be filled out in this excel sheet:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/0kohl6q038lzv6y/Blind Oud Test Form v2.xlsx?dl=0
Please note there are three optional fields, you may complete them for none, some or all of the oils; your choice. Also, note there is the 'time factor' field, you can
only mark one oil with which you wish you had had more time. Finally, there is an overall rating and a separate value assessment, it is feasible you may feel that an oil is of high $ value but not to your liking, or in fact the opposite.
I suggest you practice using the result sheet as soon as possible.
6. Please read this thread in which Al Shareef Oudh and Ammar talk about side by side comparisons:
http://www.ouddict.com/threads/side-by-side.244/
Obviously time constraints make it difficult to follow such advice to the letter, but bearing the main points in mind is helpful. I only ask that you dedicate one day to each sample, with that sample being your primary focus for that day. Not your sole focus, merely your primary one.
7. Regarding how you wear the oud oil, I ask that for each sample you put a small dab on your non-dominant wrist for at least one wearing.
You should also put one to two small dabs on a single ply of unscented tissue or toilet paper. Try and keep the oil radius under 2cm (it takes over half an hour to fully spread) and mark the date, time and sample letter on the paper. Below is a picture example:
I suggest you practise this now. I also suggest you do this for all samples as soon as you open the envelope, and spread them across the house/office. It could help in orientating you quickly and it should help you get an idea of relative oil strength and longevity (assuming consistency in application).
8. Beyond the above two indicated oil applications, which are to help create relatable common ground among reviewers, you are free to do as you like. Everybody has their own process. If you wish, for example, to go to the extreme of using a sample in a single wearing, you may do so, so long as you fulfil the previous points first.
9. Once you receive the envelope from me, you will have to immediately confirm receipt. You will need to keep the envelope sealed until I give the okay for the test to commence. On the starting date, I will most probably require a picture of the sealed envelope beside the timestamp from
https://time.is/ or beside the date of a daily newspaper. This is for the purpose of synchronisation. Failure to comply with these instructions could result in
disqualification.
10. On deadline day you will need to email me and cc a second referee the results within the time limit. My email is [powdernose email
] . The second email will be shared closer to deadline day.
If you'd like to say anything or have any questions, or are unsure about any aspect, now is the time to speak up
. If you have not completed the questionnaire previously sent, please do so now.
You are most likely to participate, but final confirmation will come only once you've paid the eventual PayPal fee (looking to be around the 40$ mark). Bowing out after commitment is not acceptable!
In the meantime, please check your inbox daily for the next couple of weeks; as soon as all the pieces of the puzzle move within my control, I will proceed very swiftly.
Please send me an address and phone number, so that I can at least start preparations in that regard.
Thank you!
Addendum to rules and guidelines
Allow me to state the obvious: you'll need to consider what you post on the forums during the trial duration.
As an obvious example, you should not be posting in the Oud of the Day thread.
Please think about any posts you make before posting them during the trial.
I also got some concern from prospective reviewers about their ability to put a value an oud oil. I already addressed an aspect of that in point 5 of the rules, and I thought I'd share the answer I gave regarding that concern:
You might ask yourself the simple question, what would I be willing to pay for this oil?
And, considering the existing market, where do I feel it fits, price wise?
There is no wrong way to approach the question and there are no wrong answers.
I think it is an interesting question, and just one of the parameters, no need to overthink it.
Point of clarity
There's no problem if you
believe you recognize an oud.
It is an unavoidable possibility that a reviewer might encounter a sample of an oud they may know intimately.
Ultimately, a reviewer might be right about the identity, or might be wrong
.
What is not permitted is to cross-check any assumptions until test completion.
cheers
