01/25/2024
DrB1414
148 Reviews
DrB1414
1
The Founding Father of Artisanal Oud in the Western Society
Sultan's Qaboos infamous Oud Royale. Others might know it as Oud Royale No. 1. I believe anyone who is into artisanal oud oils has at least heard about this legendary oil. Its reputation precedes it. And for good reasons. For me, it was one of those instances when people hype something only to find out that the hype is well justified. I was reluctant to approach this oil for two reasons. First, I'm not a huge fan of the Merauke profile. I appreciate it and enjoy it occasionally but it's not a habitual craving. Second, I'm not a huge fan of the classic distilled, vintage oud oils. That's because many of them, especially the ones that were distilled after the Arabian aesthetic, bear dirty facets that distract from the smell of the wood. Furthermore, back in those days, the distillation didn't involve a lot of tweaking. Constant temperature, standard distillation, and no angles, in order to capture the exact smell of the wood. While that practice has its perks, sometimes the oil can feel blurry, as the notes feel superimposed rather than unfolding as a perfume composition, sequentially. However, this oil has far exceeded my expectations. It is superb. Distilled traditionally, in the Arabic ways, yet doesn't smell anything like that. You'd be hard-pressed to guess it's Merauke. Why? What was done differently? I soon realized the answer to that question: the quality of the raw material. When the wood is of such high quality and full of resin, one doesn't need fancy tricks. The wood does all the talking, or should I say the smelling. This oil was distilled entirely from sinking-grade Merauke Agarwood pieces. Add over 40 years of aging, and the result is nothing short of exceptional. Those wood chunks had to be pitch black, resin-soaked. The oil is not overly complex, yet it does show a moderately intricate progression. The depth feels bottomless. It is the deepest oil I've tried. When it opens up it smells like dark sweet molasses, with subtle minty and cocoa-like facets. Full-on oleoresin. At this point, it's impossible to distinguish a certain geographical trait or any hint of woodiness. It stays like this for about 30 minutes. This pitch black, sweet resinous smell while the cocoa note grows stronger. After a while, the typical Merauke profile starts to unveil itself. Compared to other Merauke/Papua oils that I've tried, the typical traits such as earthy, jungle-green, smoky, and petrichor are soft and well-behaved. Clean, pure, no muddle, no high-pitched notes, no excessive smoke. The most tranquil rain caresses the jungle letting the smell rise in the air. The wood note is also faint, and clean, with the typical Filaria minty flavor. What I consider to be, however, the hallmark of this oil, is this blue, aquamarine incense chord that creeps in at the hour mark and continues to send shivers down your spine with each deep breath. I find it unusual and strongly contrasting to the dark, chocolatey sweet resinous DNA of the oil. As it dries down the wood and the incense chord morph into one, almost reminding me of the Gyrinops Walla profile. It stays crystal clear throughout the wear, displaying these chords: rich cocoa-flavored oleoresin chord, smooth Merauke petrichor, earthy chord, and the soul-touching blue incense one. Ensar said that this oil helped shape the artisanal oud market in the West as it is today. It was an eye-opener for many. Unfortunately, I was not into artisanal oud back then. I can only imagine back in the day smelling an oil like this for the first time after all your brain recognized as oud were the synthetic, failed oud accord attempts of the time. Like catching your mom putting the Christmas presents under the tree. Christmas will never be the same thereon. It is hands down the best Papua oil I have tried to date and one of the best oils in general. And is quickly becoming a favorite.
IG:@memory.of.scents
IG:@memory.of.scents
