Ashfaque

Jonoon al Oud
For my first one, I went for ~17%, which is now 24+ months old. The most recent one (7+ months old) is about 20% (1 part grain: 4 parts Santalum album).

I warmed each maceration only 3- 4 times for 2-3 minutes in an espresso cup - say once every 1-2 weeks (don't remember exactly) for the first few weeks. This is just to 'kickstart'/quicken the process at the starts. The water temperature was just beyond touch, not too high. I didn't want to lose any highly volatile smell due to excessive heat. After that I left them as they are. Now I simply take them out every week and shake them for few seconds. If you're making a large batch I guess you can use an electric stirrer, but I'd avoid heating (unless you're careful enough).

Pre-maceration: Abdullah (Mellifluence) told me to remove all the skin type innards from the musk grains before putting them in sandalwood as they can have adverse effect. He said hair in maceration is safe (which can also appear with the grains). But I didn't risk it and removed those too. Sometimes those innards will retain a lot of semi-dried grains. So use a non-soaking surface to work on and use some stainless steel forceps (or something similar) to separate them. Be wary, grains are incredibly stinky, pissy - almost headache inducing. Whilst in UK, when I prepared grains for the 1st time (separating and macerating), it made our whole house stinky. Upstairs, where I worked on smelt quite pissy for few hours. It was quite windy and cold at the time. So I couldn't opened the windows as long as I wanted to. I could smell it from downstairs. My olfaction was highly curtailed for few hours.

You can use those innards, pod shell, and hair in tinctures. With those the tincture is lot more pissy than just grain tincture.

As for how long you want to wait and the proportion, it depends on the length of time it is allowed to macerate, how strong you prefer it to be or their uses in compositions. Best if you make a few ones with different proportions and compare them for your purposes. I made them mainly to layer with perfumes and ouds and to make my experimental and weird attars. It is fun.

If there is anything I should do differently to improve the maceration quality, please let me know.
 
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DubOudh

Aster Oudh
For my first one, I went for ~17%, which is now 24+ months old. The most recent one (7+ months old) is about 20% (1 part grain: 4 parts Santalum album).

I warmed each maceration only 3- 4 times for 2-3 minutes in an espresso cup - say once every 1-2 weeks (don't remember exactly) for the first few weeks. This is just to 'kickstart'/quicken the process at the starts. The water temperature was just beyond touch, not too high. I didn't want to lose any highly volatile smell due to excessive heat. After that I left them as they are. Now I simply take them out every week and shake them for few seconds. If you're making a large batch I guess you can use an electric stirrer, but I'd avoid heating (unless you're careful enough).

Pre-maceration: Abdullah (Mellifluence) told me to remove all the skin type innards from the musk grains before putting them in sandalwood as they can have adverse effect. He said hair in maceration is safe (which can also appear with the grains). But I didn't risk it and removed those too. Sometimes those innards will retain a lot of semi-dried grains. So use a non-soaking surface to work on and use some stainless steel forceps (or something similar) to separate them. Be wary, grains are incredibly stinky, pissy - almost headache inducing. Whilst in UK, when I prepared grains for the 1st time (separating and macerating), it made our whole house stinky. Upstairs, where I worked on smelt quite pissy for few hours. It was quite windy and cold at the time. So I couldn't opened the windows as long as I wanted to. I could smell it from downstairs. My olfaction was highly curtailed for few hours.

You can use those innards, pod shell, and hair in tinctures. With those the tincture is lot more pissy than just grain tincture.

As for how long you want to wait and the proportion, it depends on the length of time it is allowed to macerate, how strong you prefer it to be or their uses in compositions. Best if you make a few ones with different proportions and compare them for your purposes, bro. I made them mainly to layer with perfumes and ouds and to make my experimental and weird attars. It is fun.

If there is anything I should do differently to improve the maceration quality, please let me know.
Thanks Ashfaque. I am most interested in all things maceration at the moment as I have about 6 independent bottles of various sizes currently being processed...My % of musk per 6gm bottle varies....but I mostly go on the low side..(I work of a formula of about 1gm to 9gm oil). Although I have one in a 3gm bottle that is more like 20% Siberian Musk.....but as you say it depends on how strong you want it to be...I too have had a strong scent in my room when preparing...but it is a most beautiful scent, which although strong is not over powering in a bad way...
A respected member here on Ouddicts introduced me to the fine art of carrying a bottle or two on my person, whilst out for movement and warmth....I tend to walk a lot and find this method most enjoyable.
And as a new Covid lockdown has just been issued by the Government here...I suspect I shall be doing a lot more walking...Insh'allah
Great post...:praying:
 

DubOudh

Aster Oudh
For my first one, I went for ~17%, which is now 24+ months old. The most recent one (7+ months old) is about 20% (1 part grain: 4 parts Santalum album).

I warmed each maceration only 3- 4 times for 2-3 minutes in an espresso cup - say once every 1-2 weeks (don't remember exactly) for the first few weeks. This is just to 'kickstart'/quicken the process at the starts. The water temperature was just beyond touch, not too high. I didn't want to lose any highly volatile smell due to excessive heat. After that I left them as they are. Now I simply take them out every week and shake them for few seconds.
Do you find the heating,as you did...to make much difference?
I haven't done that but I turn them most every day and give them a good roll. Other then in my pockets...I haven't applied any heat. What do you think?
 

opixs

Oud Fan
I had siberian musk triple filtered and then enfleuraged and macerated in moringa oil a few years ago. It was enfleuraged for around a couple months continuously, daily, at a continous temperature. It definetly helped bring the scent of musk out while the musk grains were fresh. The scent and colour is mesmerising.

It has since been macerating in moringa oil and I shake the bottles on a regular basis.

See the pics I took tonight of one of the bottles.
In moringa oil, musk is like a laklakha once enfleuraged and macerated, it is very thick and gooey. Every swipe comes out with some grains which adds to the pleasure of the scent on skin!

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punmaster

True Ouddict
I had siberian musk triple filtered and then enfleuraged and macerated in moringa oil a few years ago. It was enfleuraged for around a couple months continuously, daily, at a continous temperature. It definetly helped bring the scent of musk out while the musk grains were fresh. The scent and colour is mesmerising.

It has since been macerating in moringa oil and I shake the bottles on a regular basis.

See the pics I took tonight of one of the bottles.
In moringa oil, musk is like a laklakha once enfleuraged and macerated, it is very thick and gooey. Every swipe comes out with some grains which adds to the pleasure of the scent on skin!

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That's a rare treat right there. How's the longevity as compared to sandalwood maceration?
 

opixs

Oud Fan
That's a rare treat right there. How's the longevity as compared to sandalwood maceration?

I now like to compare its sillage and longevity to top of the range oudh oils as most can compare to oud, not everyone has access to musk.
When this was initially created it was like comparing it to a medium strength oudh oil but it has grown in strength, projectivity and longevity in 4 or so years of being macerated.

The musk scent it gives off is heavenly. It is very thick the oil, as I said but not too thick that its not applicable.

Alhamdulillah, I have 3 bottles of this, jewels in my collection!
 

Ashfaque

Jonoon al Oud
Do you find the heating,as you did...to make much difference?
I haven't done that but I turn them most every day and give them a good roll. Other then in my pockets...I haven't applied any heat. What do you think?
Yes the mild heating made some difference to open things up a bit initially. As I mentioned above, I was quite conservative (to retain the more volatile facets as much as possible). I took that step based on what I read (mostly in this thread) from respected brother @Rai Munir, a video Abdullah did for the Basenotes' musk article (by Claire V.) and some other things. I noticed a slightly bigger change in the odour profile than before letting them sit at the start of the process. What you do daily is also very useful for maceration, which I should do too. But I am forgetful. Also, I am already happy how things are turning up.

If I had few thousands dollars extra, I'd probably do multiple tests to see how odour profile changes when there are change in 1 or more factors. Imagine using different sandalwoods of different origins, different extractions and different ages, with various proportion of grains, with various heating/shaking schedule. Brings back memories of experimental economics labs!
 
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DubOudh

Aster Oudh
I had siberian musk triple filtered and then enfleuraged and macerated in moringa oil a few years ago.
It is very early in the morning with this reply....but what does this mean...enfleuraged?
Also where did you source the mornings oil?
Thank you for your post.
 

DubOudh

Aster Oudh
Yes the mild heating made some difference to open things up a bit initially. As I mentioned above, I was quite conservative (to retain the more volatile facets as much as possible). I took that step based on what I read (mostly in this thread) from respected brother @Rai Munir, a video Abdullah did for the Basenotes' musk article (by Claire V.) and some other things. I noticed a slightly bigger change in the odour profile than before letting them sit at the start of the process. What you do daily is also very useful for maceration, which I should do too. But I am forgetful. Also, I am already happy how things are turning up.

If I had few thousands dollars extra, I'd probably do multiple tests to see how odour profile changes when there are change in 1 or more factors. Imagine using different sandalwoods of different origins, different extractions and different ages, with various proportion of grains, with various heating/shaking schedule. Brings back memories of experimental economics labs!
I have some Musk macerating in some lovely Jasmine oil and the colour is quite wonderful after only a week or so....the Jasmine which is hugely strong is already been affected by the Mongolian Musk.....I have not heated anything....I merely decanted 1gm of jasmine out of tis bottle and put in an amount of Musk and some ambergris too...I have begun taking notes but my measurements are not finely precise at the moment....but Mashallah....it looks and scents so lovely after a week...
Thank you for your posts....
 

opixs

Oud Fan
It is very early in the morning with this reply....but what does this mean...enfleuraged?
Also where did you source the mornings oil?
Thank you for your post.

Sorry just seen this now.

Enfleurage is a very old method to extract the scent from the musk. You can have hot and cold extractions. Enfleurage is still used to this day for extraction of oils from flowers and plants etc.

In this case hot extraction for the musk.

The fresh musk in moringa was mixed all the time while being heated up and this was done in this case daily for a couple months. It helped extract the scent much quicker than just maceration alone.

It was raw extra virgin moringa oil that was used in this case.
 

DubOudh

Aster Oudh
Sorry just seen this now.

Enfleurage is a very old method to extract the scent from the musk. You can have hot and cold extractions. Enfleurage is still used to this day for extraction of oils from flowers and plants etc.

In this case hot extraction for the musk.

The fresh musk in moringa was mixed all the time while being heated up and this was done in this case daily for a couple months. It helped extract the scent much quicker than just maceration alone.

It was raw extra virgin moringa oil that was used in this case.
Ah...I understand. Thanks for that. So I am wondering...would there be any gain to heating some water in a pan and placing bottles in the heated water for a short time to allow heating that way ,for a while or perhaps not?
Very interesting..
Thanks again for your post...
 
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DubOudh

Aster Oudh
I shall be making mixtures using different Musks and also different oils/oudhs. This is a wonderful pass time for me now and I am really appreciate of the knowledge from the many posters on here. It is nice to hear and read other people's ideas and results in their own pursuits on this subject.
Here we are in lockdown mode for the next 6 weeks. Not that I would... but should I be stopped by the Gardai over here I may have some explaining to do regarding the mysterious bottles of strange substances on my person...:).

Also...another thing I have noticed lately here in the park where I do most of my walking...it is the rutting season at the moment. There is a herd of about 400 Fallow deer free roaming.
I have has some enquisitiv prolonged glances from some of the stags.... I wonder if they are picking up the scent of the musk I have?:praying:
 
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opixs

Oud Fan
Ah...I understand. Thanks for that. So I am wondering...would there be any gain to heating some water in a pan and placing bottles in the heated water for a short time to allow heating that way ,for a while or perhaps not?
Very interesting..
Thanks again for your post...

To be most effective with Moringa oil, You would have to keep the temperature constant between 50 to 60 degrees Celsius. Never let it fall below 50 or go above 60.

Also you may have an issue of moisture getting into the bottle which you don't want. So be careful.

Another issue is the oleic acid concentration from one batch of moringa oil to another depending on this, will give you an idea how much musk to moringa oil ratio you will need to put in.
 

DubOudh

Aster Oudh
To be most effective with Moringa oil, You would have to keep the temperature constant between 50 to 60 degrees Celsius. Never let it fall below 50 or go above 60.

Also you may have an issue of moisture getting into the bottle which you don't want. So be careful.

Another issue is the oleic acid concentration from one batch of moringa oil to another depending on this, will give you an idea how much musk to moringa oil ratio you will need to put in.
Thank you again brother for your input.
The Moringa oil....where did you source your supply from akh?
Thank you.
 

DubOudh

Aster Oudh
Sorry I don't remember where it was from was years ago.
Thank you for the response. It is not important at the moment as I have enough ingredients to be getting on with for now... Inshaa'allah..
 
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DubOudh

Aster Oudh
I started a maceration in a 6ml bottle recently. It has about 5% Siberian musk (NinjaBob), about 80% Mysore Sandalwood which I got from Aromasublime and a very beautiful (I think) steam distilled Damascus pure rose oil (10%).I really is a most heavenly scent as a stand alone. I have also about 5% ambergris which I purchased from Hamza (Attar store)
It has been lovingly turning and warming this little personal creation by hand as I am out walking (and even some days it accompanies me to work)
It is now a deep light ruby reddish colour. Musk grains can be seen after each turning session when settled. Amazingly the 10% rose is very dominant at this stage. Even before I open the cap (but leave the swipe cap on) I can smell the Dimashq rose prominently. At 10% I am thinking I may have added too much but I shall see and observe the settling down period. The musk (Siberian) with its powerful masculine scent has a match it would appear with the very feminine Dimashq rose.
A match been lovingly created in heaven.
 
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DubOudh

Aster Oudh
These 4 are my most recent projects....from left is 6mg...Mysore Sandalwood...SM...Dimashq rose...and ambergris.
next is SW...SM...about 15% Papua Oudh...and some ambergris....Next is SW spear...and SM...and finally.....Jasmine oil from EO...MM... and a pinch of ambergris......
The Papua maceration has a most wondrous scent already...
All were begun in September 2020...with ambergris added this month....The Sandalwood without the ambergris has taken on a beautiful colour already......such beautiful ingredients I am blessed to have the pleasure to work....Mashallah.....
 

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