Material · August 2026
The oud harvest, graded by hand
From resinous heartwood to aromatic oil: understanding the material behind oud.
Wood transformed by resin
Agarwood is the resin-rich wood formed in certain Aquilaria trees. Ordinary wood from the same tree is not automatically agarwood; it is the aromatic resin that gives this material its character.
Looking beyond appearance
Visual grading describes only part of a material. Species, resin content, origin and processing influence the aromatic result. A dark piece of wood is not, by itself, proof of quality.
From wood to oil
Oud oil is obtained by distilling resinous wood. Its profile may be woody, balsamic, leathery or smoky, with considerable variation between materials.
