Yesterday and today I had a chance to burn Ensar Oud's 80 year and 100 year old Oud chips. I am assuming but I am not sure that it is Thai wood from the border region with Cambodia. I broke off small pieces and burned them which could have had an effect on the outcome of the smell, more on that later. I burned them on the electrical burner and on charcoal directly and over a mica plate. I used both Shoyeido's Ceremonial and square Charcoal and In general the smell was nicest on the electrical albeit not very complete in representing the whole scent profile, followed by the mica plate which provided further depth and lastly directly over the charcoal after it had formed a layer of white ash over the surface. The last method produce the most smoke but concealed the intricacy of the scent. Starting with the 100 year old small piece of chips
here they are in a different light
very dry and brittle to the touch. Over the mica place a beautiful dark notes of sweet and roasted chestnuts. There is no smoke discernible coming out but you can see little bubbling locally occurring here and there on the chip. The smell has a Cambodian scent profile but it is like a good old Thaqeel in the sense that it is ethereal; it is not to scent large rooms unless it's put directly on the Charcoal and then the smell is to me very woody, fragrant wood that is
and that is where the size of the chip matters because if I would burn a larger piece uncut it will stand better to the charcoal. All in all a pleasant and very understated Oud scent that I will revisit.
The 80 year old Oud chips' on the other hand
is sweet yet dry, hay like scent. The chips produce a good level of smoke making it appropriate for larger room scenting. The scent profile shares a lot with KOKONOE NO KUMO which is Indonesian aloeswood. It has the ability to transform the mood to a somber, sober state of mind. I felt as if I am staring down the plain Horizon of an high desert plateau in the cold winter day. Someone passing outside on the stairs where I live commented to their companion that it smelled "Old"
I wouldn't recommend burning it on charcoal (or at least not a small piece) for it produces a lot of heavy wood burning smell. A little bit goes a long way.