Oudh awakening: How the traditional scent received a modern makeover

While ingredient trends come and go in the world of perfumes, few can boast of the storied legacy of oudh. Rich, exotic and woody, this traditional fragrance is prized as one of the rarest and most expensive woods in the world. Often referred to as black gold, here’s a closer look at oudh’s journey through the ages—and how you can invite it into your modern fragrance wardrobe. ‍

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The origins of oudh

With a history as rich as its fragrant woody scent, the earliest mentions of oudh can be traced back to 1400 BC when it was burned in the form of wood chips to welcome guests home. There are subsequent mentions of the Chinese using its extracts for incense in central Vietnam during the 3rd century AD, and it soon became a popular export to China and Japan. In the centuries since, oudh fragrance has also gained significant cultural importance in Islam, both as a personal scent and as a coveted oil.  ‍

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Understanding the popularity of oudh in the perfume world

Counted among the rarest ingredients in the olfactory realm, the origins of oudh live up to its lofty credentials. Derived from a world tropical tree called agar, the process of extracting oudh requires the bark of the tree to get infected with a specific mould known as phialophora parasitica. However, the catch lies in the fact that only 2% of agar trees can get infected with this mould, making every gram of oudh procured incredibly precious. The complicated harvesting process also drives up its rarity, making its estimated value 1.5 times the value of gold, thereby deriving the moniker, ‘liquid gold’.  ‍

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The modern makeover of traditional oudh

Often considered a hallmark of Arab culture, oudh has since permeated the mainstream consciousness with a bevvy of iconic perfumers reimagining its traditional roots with perfumes for men and women. Tom Ford's Oud Wood was among the first to bottle its smoky notes, with Christian Dior's Oud Ispahan and Armani Privé's Oud Royal following shortly after. M7 Oud Absolu by Yves Saint Laurent tempered its heady scent with patchouli and mandarin orange for its cologne, while Juliette Has A Gun Another Oud inspires visions of a heady, scented trail through an Oriental forest.