In the fragrance realm, oud is arguably one of the most polarising scent categories. Fans can’t get enough of its rich, intoxicating scent (the Harrods perfume hall is notoriously known for its blast of oud) while other shy away from its intensity. Whatever your stance on oud, it is currently having a huge moment in fragrance as clever perfumers are constantly discovering new ways to elevate the decadent note.

What is oud?

Also known as agarwood, oud is produced when the mould phialophora parasitica infects the aquilaria (or agar) tree to produce a dark, fragrant resin that essentially works as the tree’s defence mechanism. Oud ranks highly as one of the world’s most expensive raw materials as it takes hundreds of years to produce the resin. Plus, the aqularia tree is fast depleting due to over-harvesting and habitat loss.

Where do perfume houses source oud?

Oud have been a staple in Middle Eastern perfumery for centuries. It’s also been used in Japanese and Indian cultures as incense. Due to the scarcity of the agar tree, it’s now illegal to harvest the resin in the wild.

“However, sustainable plantations of oud have been established in a number of locations (including Malaysia, Cambodia and Thailand), where the infection process is performed by hand rather than happening naturally,” explains Nick Gilbert, co-founder of fragrance house Olfiction. Reputable fragrance houses have stringent supply standards in place to ensure the sourcing of oud is ethical, responsible and sustainable.

Do fragrances use synthetic oud?

“There are some ‘bases’ that perfume houses make which approximate the smell of oud, and contain a blend of synthetic and natural ingredients – important to capture the complexity of oud itself,” says Gilbert. Due to the high cost and rarity of natural oud oil, perfumeries often use the smallest percentage in conjunction with other ingredients such as cypriol or patchouli.

What does oud smell like?

Similar to other naturally-derived notes in perfumery, an ingredient’s scent differs depending on it’s provenance. “The scent of oud oil is very complex,” says Gilbert. “It’s warm, slightly sweet; imagine the sweet and gloopy flavour of balsamic vinegar without the acidic side. Resinous, woody, earthy like a forest floor, fruity like cherries, bitter, smoky, very animalic, between tanned leather and goats, with a bit of blue cheese,” describes Gilbert.

What does oud bring to a fragrance?

If the idea of ​​goats and blue cheese sound unappealing, fret not. According to Gilbert, the tiniest amount of oud will lend a resinous sweetness and intensity to a fragrance. “A good perfumer knows how to hide facets of a material that are undesirable. “

Holly Hutchinson, founder of British perfumery Memoize agrees. “Oud adds a rich, woody and sensual element to perfumes. It makes a scent intoxicating, and moreish, and makes you feel lavish and expensive,” says Hutchinson. Not all oud scents are created alike. If you’re new to ouds or haven’t found the right one, Hutchinson recommends trying fragrances where oud is not the main element of the perfume. “Oud is very different on warm skin, so weather has an impact on the perception of the scent too.”

Ahead, see Bazaar‘s top 10 oud perfumes to try now.

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