SOTD
- Thread starter Kruger
- Start date
oud of the day, well there is none as i am not wearing any oud yesterday and today for a mini fast before my shipment of ensar ouds arrie tomorrow or day after that, having said that the phantom scent of the day appears to be kinamantan. i have checked to see if i have any on my clothes but no, its just the ghost scent of it i am getting. interesting phenomena. ill take it. now why couldnt i get kyara ltd as the phantom scent every day, all day 
I'm currently working on pouring the last of this incredible oud, and I can still remember vividly the day the profound bottle was brought fourth from what I have dubbed 'the vault' what seems like only a few months ago. The day in which I first experienced what was meant by psychoactive oud.
I had always wondered what, and how an oud can be "psychoactive" but on that day my perspective was changed forever, and I finally understood.
Beyond the extraordinary relaxing and soothing benefits characterized by oud, and the meditative components that we have come to almost expect from quality ouds, more than any others this oud has imbued many with a strong sense of nostalgia, whisking one away to far off jungles, mountain tops, and memories from childhood. Evoking vivid visuals, which is the only way your mind can interpret and explain such an alien aroma.
Kruger was smiling as the now famous words crossed his lips "so... what do you think?" When put on the spot I usually freeze up, but gaining the courage to take a whiff, I was immediately transported, plunging under deep mysterious waters, thick with sea weed, and gnarled tree roots, the feeling was like that of being overtaken by a strong wave on the beach, a somewhat panicked refreshment. My mind was fighting to explain what it is I just experienced!
...After a short time, the waters mellowed, and deep green comforted me like creamy pea soup warmed over an open-faced fire on a cold winters day.... I snapped out of it as Kruger reiterated..... "Well?"
Lol, all I could say at the time was "Green... I see green everywhere." I was later happy to find out the name, Green Papua! And have fallen further and further in love with the chameleon fragrance ever since.
A chameleon it is, as the cooler months reveal what I have explained above, and as the temperature warms, the profile blooms into a vast and incredible spectrum with seemingly endless hues.
With warmth comes a refreshing spice. "Like seeking shelter under a pimenta dioica tree in the middle of the Honduras jungle during a flash tropical monsoon storm. Heavy drops pummeling the leaves of the trees, the earth and the seeds, surrounding me in a fog of aroma."
The oud transported me instantly, evoking vivid images from nowhere, it calmed my nerves from the 'pressure' I felt from being put on the spot, showing me what is meant by psychoactive.
A familiar and comfortable fragrance, as good for a suit as it is relaxing on the beach! Absolutely love this stuff, and wish there'd be more like it!
I had always wondered what, and how an oud can be "psychoactive" but on that day my perspective was changed forever, and I finally understood.
Beyond the extraordinary relaxing and soothing benefits characterized by oud, and the meditative components that we have come to almost expect from quality ouds, more than any others this oud has imbued many with a strong sense of nostalgia, whisking one away to far off jungles, mountain tops, and memories from childhood. Evoking vivid visuals, which is the only way your mind can interpret and explain such an alien aroma.
Kruger was smiling as the now famous words crossed his lips "so... what do you think?" When put on the spot I usually freeze up, but gaining the courage to take a whiff, I was immediately transported, plunging under deep mysterious waters, thick with sea weed, and gnarled tree roots, the feeling was like that of being overtaken by a strong wave on the beach, a somewhat panicked refreshment. My mind was fighting to explain what it is I just experienced!
...After a short time, the waters mellowed, and deep green comforted me like creamy pea soup warmed over an open-faced fire on a cold winters day.... I snapped out of it as Kruger reiterated..... "Well?"
Lol, all I could say at the time was "Green... I see green everywhere." I was later happy to find out the name, Green Papua! And have fallen further and further in love with the chameleon fragrance ever since.
A chameleon it is, as the cooler months reveal what I have explained above, and as the temperature warms, the profile blooms into a vast and incredible spectrum with seemingly endless hues.
With warmth comes a refreshing spice. "Like seeking shelter under a pimenta dioica tree in the middle of the Honduras jungle during a flash tropical monsoon storm. Heavy drops pummeling the leaves of the trees, the earth and the seeds, surrounding me in a fog of aroma."
The oud transported me instantly, evoking vivid images from nowhere, it calmed my nerves from the 'pressure' I felt from being put on the spot, showing me what is meant by psychoactive.
A familiar and comfortable fragrance, as good for a suit as it is relaxing on the beach! Absolutely love this stuff, and wish there'd be more like it!
Earlier today
FO Tawau al Awwal,
this turned out to be an oudy oud with a nice Sabah profile, should have gotten more than one.
Then later I swiped EO OR 85
In general (based on younger Sumatran oils), I like the Sumatran oud profile, true, it has a piercing opening, but opens to some lovely sorta fruits (I am at a lack to properly describe it because at the moment I don’t want to say otherwordly)
With OR85.....that goodness is there but tamed by many years of aging, so it is always a pleasure to swipe OR 85.
If anyone has Feel-oud’s Virgin Sumatra Island, I would love to hear your impression.
FO Tawau al Awwal,
this turned out to be an oudy oud with a nice Sabah profile, should have gotten more than one.
Then later I swiped EO OR 85
In general (based on younger Sumatran oils), I like the Sumatran oud profile, true, it has a piercing opening, but opens to some lovely sorta fruits (I am at a lack to properly describe it because at the moment I don’t want to say otherwordly
)With OR85.....that goodness is there but tamed by many years of aging, so it is always a pleasure to swipe OR 85.
If anyone has Feel-oud’s Virgin Sumatra Island, I would love to hear your impression.
First impressions. Studied closely but many other oils were present and smelled off vial.
EO muana royale vs EO Bhutan red
Both are unreleased EO oil. Royale is Elegant. Pristine. Nirvata muana notes played on a higher pitch, more focused, more zoomed in and elevating. Still a grounding oil but has ones heart reaching high to the sky.
I think non soaked or minimally without introducing any fermented notes.
Bhutan red is old school rustic and has cajoles.
Polar opposite basically. Fuller. Richer. Deeper. More red. Distinct black tea. A dirtied up muana note. Leather. Barn. But also rooibos tea served in a dusty old mug. This oil has 6 years on the royale iirc. It is a 2009 oil.
No doubt that to my aesthetics and where I am in my Oud journey I have a clear preference for muana royale but I clearly see a superior oil (objectively speaking) in red Bhutan. I like to think the wood used was also superior. Age of course has done this oil well allowing it to develop a certain roundness and grounded quality. I am really starting to understand the need for aging oils and importance of it. Not all oils require it I guess but to my nose most of my top pick oils are all aged.
Further and more focused swipes are required. I think I have royale figured out but can’t be certain. But I know for sure there is more to Bhutan red than what I saw tonight. I can feel it. A deep oil that I bet has lots more drama between topbtomid to dry down. Like Hainan 05 next to China sayang.
EO muana royale vs EO Bhutan red
Both are unreleased EO oil. Royale is Elegant. Pristine. Nirvata muana notes played on a higher pitch, more focused, more zoomed in and elevating. Still a grounding oil but has ones heart reaching high to the sky.
I think non soaked or minimally without introducing any fermented notes.
Bhutan red is old school rustic and has cajoles.
Polar opposite basically. Fuller. Richer. Deeper. More red. Distinct black tea. A dirtied up muana note. Leather. Barn. But also rooibos tea served in a dusty old mug. This oil has 6 years on the royale iirc. It is a 2009 oil.
No doubt that to my aesthetics and where I am in my Oud journey I have a clear preference for muana royale but I clearly see a superior oil (objectively speaking) in red Bhutan. I like to think the wood used was also superior. Age of course has done this oil well allowing it to develop a certain roundness and grounded quality. I am really starting to understand the need for aging oils and importance of it. Not all oils require it I guess but to my nose most of my top pick oils are all aged.
Further and more focused swipes are required. I think I have royale figured out but can’t be certain. But I know for sure there is more to Bhutan red than what I saw tonight. I can feel it. A deep oil that I bet has lots more drama between topbtomid to dry down. Like Hainan 05 next to China sayang.
Muana zen today. First wear.
Another yet to be released oil and the youngest of the bunch. A 2016 oil. I know nothing about it other than its Bhutan origin.
Right off the bat is distinct and quite different from nirvata muana, Royal Bhutan and muana royale. A touch of similarity to Bhutan superior and Bhutan red with Subtle white pepper and mild barn note. Easily 1/4 of the barn of superior and 1/3 of royal Bhutan. I think is not soaked and these barn note is not result of fermentation but rather the intrinsic quality of the wood.
wet smell. Terra cotta note and pond. Earthy. Surprisingly round and together for such a young oil. Low projection and toned down opening. Closer to a hindi profile Meghalaya while still keeping. One foot firmly in Bhutan.
Way in the back there is a sticky floral and dried fruit with very mild camphor not similar to that of Yusuf and trat oils but enough of it to bring the distant comparison to mind. A touch of confected lemon note. Like lemon puff lemon custard. No where at the levels of let’s say Manek 2 but more of a subtle integration.
Some 30 minutes later, the muana note is taking center stage with that creamy red bush tea note and delectable sweet spices. Almost like the spice note in Tanzanian sandalwood.
Night time oil or one for quiet times. It won’t jump at you as projection is low making it an oil that you need to approach it and get to know it.
@Ensar anything you can share with us on these and above two oils would be appreciated. Even if the message is wear it again and spend more time with it.
Another yet to be released oil and the youngest of the bunch. A 2016 oil. I know nothing about it other than its Bhutan origin.
Right off the bat is distinct and quite different from nirvata muana, Royal Bhutan and muana royale. A touch of similarity to Bhutan superior and Bhutan red with Subtle white pepper and mild barn note. Easily 1/4 of the barn of superior and 1/3 of royal Bhutan. I think is not soaked and these barn note is not result of fermentation but rather the intrinsic quality of the wood.
wet smell. Terra cotta note and pond. Earthy. Surprisingly round and together for such a young oil. Low projection and toned down opening. Closer to a hindi profile Meghalaya while still keeping. One foot firmly in Bhutan.
Way in the back there is a sticky floral and dried fruit with very mild camphor not similar to that of Yusuf and trat oils but enough of it to bring the distant comparison to mind. A touch of confected lemon note. Like lemon puff lemon custard. No where at the levels of let’s say Manek 2 but more of a subtle integration.
Some 30 minutes later, the muana note is taking center stage with that creamy red bush tea note and delectable sweet spices. Almost like the spice note in Tanzanian sandalwood.
Night time oil or one for quiet times. It won’t jump at you as projection is low making it an oil that you need to approach it and get to know it.
@Ensar anything you can share with us on these and above two oils would be appreciated. Even if the message is wear it again and spend more time with it.
Muana Red is the very first Bhutanese distillation we managed. It precedes even Oud Idrees, if memory serves me correctly. It's been nine years since it was distilled, so I forget the exact month. They were both done in 2009, but I forget the exact months, or how far apart. I kept Red, and launched Idrees. I keep it as a historical landmark, because I remember very well how badly I'd been wanting to source Bhutanese materials for a few years prior to Red. Age has served it well. It was done traditionally, as you correctly assessed. Ground water, steel pot, traditional Hindi style soak. Needless to say, traditional or not, the only thing that dictates the quality of an oil is the raw materials. You can make sushi out of stale tuna, or you can pan sear it with veggies on the side. What you end up eating is stale tuna. On the other hand, premium wild caught game is the secret to five-star dining, be it French or Japanese.
Muana Royale is one of my favorite oils from the region, Meghalaya, Nagaland & Manipur included. It is ultra smooth and incense-laden due to the high-quality shavings we used in its formulation. I wasn't planning to share this with anyone, but your request for quality Bhutanese oils was so genuine, I couldn't bring myself to hoard it. This is a midpoint between old-school and modern (late 2013, early 2014), where the soaking style is greatly modified to minimalize funk and the apparatus is slowly shifting towards the more modern Thai set-up and away from the primitive Hindi degs.
Muana Zen is the full-on modern take on Bhutan Oud. It's the Royale without the traditional elements. As you correctly observed, when distilled the way Thai oils are distilled, it will possess a faint resemblance to oils from this region, being stripped of the feral garnishings traditional Hindi methods impart on the wood. Keep cranking up the modern elements, and you keep getting less and less cojones and more and more air and lipstick. It is the prerogative of the distiller to decide which direction she wants to take her distillations.
Quality materials diminished greatly after the production of Muana Zen, so that marks my last distillation in India.
Muana Royale is one of my favorite oils from the region, Meghalaya, Nagaland & Manipur included. It is ultra smooth and incense-laden due to the high-quality shavings we used in its formulation. I wasn't planning to share this with anyone, but your request for quality Bhutanese oils was so genuine, I couldn't bring myself to hoard it. This is a midpoint between old-school and modern (late 2013, early 2014), where the soaking style is greatly modified to minimalize funk and the apparatus is slowly shifting towards the more modern Thai set-up and away from the primitive Hindi degs.
Muana Zen is the full-on modern take on Bhutan Oud. It's the Royale without the traditional elements. As you correctly observed, when distilled the way Thai oils are distilled, it will possess a faint resemblance to oils from this region, being stripped of the feral garnishings traditional Hindi methods impart on the wood. Keep cranking up the modern elements, and you keep getting less and less cojones and more and more air and lipstick. It is the prerogative of the distiller to decide which direction she wants to take her distillations.
Quality materials diminished greatly after the production of Muana Zen, so that marks my last distillation in India.
I didn’t mean for it to be my SOTD. It turned out to be anyway. I bought 100g of Hyrax stone from M. Dubrana and ground it today in a Hario Skerton hand coffee grinder. The grinder is pretty well sealed but a little dust rose and settled everywhere. Even after washing and changing clothes I still smelled hyraceum every time I moved. I have it tincturing in 250ml of perfumer’s alcohol. Should be enough to last a lifetime at the rate I’ll ever use it. It makes a great exultant for sandalwood. The writer of Grain de Musc says she thinks it smells feminine. Does anyone have an opinion on this?
Before I started grinding I put on a swipe of Kuzen. I hadn’t touched it in a month or two. It’s really getting great.
Before I started grinding I put on a swipe of Kuzen. I hadn’t touched it in a month or two. It’s really getting great.
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Today I used the same grinder for 5g of exquisite deer musk. The resulting powder was extremely fine and uniform. I actually think the musk was subjected to less heat than it would have been in a mortar and pestle. Slow and easy grinding.
Because of the design of the Hario Skerton coffee grinder, essentially all of the musk was ground and was usable. The grinder is easy to disassemble and all parts are easily reachable to dust out the precious (and psychadelically fragrant) powder. No weight difference before and after detectable by my scale.
I popped it into an ounce of a very nice sandalwood oil. In a year or so I’ll let you guys know how it’s developing.
I filed this under SOTD because just from working with the stuff I’m Mr. Musk Bomb. There is an occasional deer in my neighborhood. I’ll let you know if any does come scratching at my window.
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Wow that sounds great, Larry. And I enjoyed the history, Ensar! Tonight I'm having a very late night (as in, I'm going to bed shortly) and am testing Qing by Rising Pheonix & Naga by Agarwood Assam. Unfortunately when I wake up these oils will be long gone as always happens when going to bed wearing oils I think it gets smeared into my bedsheets.
I think it gets smeared into my bedsheets.
Wow that sounds great, Larry. And I enjoyed the history, Ensar! Tonight I'm having a very late night (as in, I'm going to bed shortly) and am testing Qing by Rising Pheonix & Naga by Agarwood Assam. Unfortunately when I wake up these oils will be long gone as always happens when going to bed wearing oils I think it gets smeared into my bedsheets.
I think it gets smeared into my bedsheets.
Sproaty, please let us know your thoughts on those oils. I’ve never yet gone wrong with anything from JK, and I’ve been curious about Zak’s Naga oil. Would love to hear.