‘I receive multiple requests each week to create an Oud fragrance, but until now, I have refrained from doing so. This is not because I don’t love Oud as a material or because I don’t understand the genre; it’s quite the opposite. Agarwood is a material I hold in such high regard that I hesitate to bury it within a perfume. Instead, I prefer to savor its unique nuances on their own. However, in this case, I believe I have done this exquisite Oud justice. Oud comes in many scent profiles ranging from cheesy to barnyard, medicinal to delicately woody. This Assam Oud falls into the latter category, making it the perfect choice for those who typically do not enjoy “funky” Ouds, as well as for Oud aficionados who appreciate a clean, woody scent profile. This fragrance is an extrait de parfum at 25% concentration, designed in the style of an Arabian Mukhallat. “Mukhallat” means “mixture,” so this fragrance is a blend of traditional materials usually used to create an attar. Unlike modern commercial Middle Eastern fragrances that tend to be overly sweet, this perfume is crafted in a traditional manner and incorporates florals, bitter herbs, spices, roots, woods, resins, and musks. The dry down features the Assam Oud, which evolves over time into a delicately resinous, balsamic, woody note.’ – Darren Alan
