Do your ouds need to "settle"?

a5m

New Member
#1
Hello everyone,

Sorry if this has been asked before. But I'm wondering if you guys notice a difference in the way an oud, attar or sandalwood oil smells when you first receive it versus it sitting for a week or so? I don't know if it's just a case of my nose getting accustomed to a particular scent or something else. Sort of like how people look a certain way the first time you see them and as you get used to their face they start to look different (I can get away with this example because I'm not married :p). Is there a word for this? Does it make sense? Does this even happen to other people or am I a weirdo? :confused:

When I get a new oud I have to try it right away. Sometimes I get really turned off but then when I come back to it after a week or so I end up really liking it. Maybe it's a matter of the components that make up the oil needing to properly settle after being shaken up during shipment? Either way I'm sure our memories play a big part in this.

What do you guys think?
 

im_au

New Member
#2
@a5m Allah has made human body really smart... once the notes are registered by the olfactory senses then usually you get to know if you like the fragrance amd can rate it properly. For me, it can take week or may be several weeks to decide if I like the fragrance or not. You are right sometime the ok sort of oud becomes favourite down the track.
 

kesiro

Well-Known Member
#3
Hello everyone,

Sorry if this has been asked before. But I'm wondering if you guys notice a difference in the way an oud, attar or sandalwood oil smells when you first receive it versus it sitting for a week or so? I don't know if it's just a case of my nose getting accustomed to a particular scent or something else. Sort of like how people look a certain way the first time you see them and as you get used to their face they start to look different (I can get away with this example because I'm not married :p). Is there a word for this? Does it make sense? Does this even happen to other people or am I a weirdo? :confused:

When I get a new oud I have to try it right away. Sometimes I get really turned off but then when I come back to it after a week or so I end up really liking it. Maybe it's a matter of the components that make up the oil needing to properly settle after being shaken up during shipment? Either way I'm sure our memories play a big part in this.

What do you guys think?
I think there truth in what you say and more. I think most would agree that it may take some time for us to "understand and appreciate" an oil and initial impressions may not reflect our ultimate opinion. Having said that, and I have spoken about this topic specifically with very knowledgeable people, I feel that there is a period of some days where an oil that was shipped around the world is often needing to settle to get its proper effect. I call this 'travel shock'. I have noticed this with almost every good oil. I have discussed this with Taha who also feels this occurs. Who knows what the reasons for this are? Temperature changes, agitation form shipping perhaps? I experienced this with oils which I have already been familiar with so I do not believe it is a olfactory perception phenomenon. Of course, YMMV.
 

a5m

New Member
#4
@a5m Allah has made human body really smart... once the notes are registered by the olfactory senses then usually you get to know if you like the fragrance amd can rate it properly. For me, it can take week or may be several weeks to decide if I like the fragrance or not. You are right sometime the ok sort of oud becomes favourite down the track.
Yes I agree. Our senses are a remarkable thing. The time it has taken me to warm up to a particular oud has greatly varied from literally as little as 30 minutes to a couple of months. I guess that's just part of the fun of experiencing oud.

I think there truth in what you say and more. I think most would agree that it may take some time for us to "understand and appreciate" an oil and initial impressions may not reflect our ultimate opinion. Having said that, and I have spoken about this topic specifically with very knowledgeable people, I feel that there is a period of some days where an oil that was shipped around the world is often needing to settle to get its proper effect. I call this 'travel shock'. I have noticed this with almost every good oil. I have discussed this with Taha who also feels this occurs. Who knows what the reasons for this are? Temperature changes, agitation form shipping perhaps? I experienced this with oils which I have already been familiar with so I do not believe it is a olfactory perception phenomenon. Of course, YMMV.
That's a great term actually - 'travel shock'. I think that should be coined as the official term. I definitely agree that it's more than just olfactory perception or memory (that's an interesting topic all on it's own). The most drastic 'travel shock' effect I experienced was with Oud Yaqoub. Very fruity typical thai when I first applied it the day of receiving it. A few days later it was smokey and Aroha Kyaku like. I actually thought I mixed up the two ouds. I was almost certain it wasn't the same one. However after a while it started to smell how it did when I first applied it right after shipping. Would be very interested to know the scientific explanation behind this if someone comes up with one.

Which oud or oil have you experienced the most severe travel shock with? The least severe?
 
#5
I know this is an old thread, but I definitely have experienced this. The Mahkota and Lao 4K from Agar aura definitely had some travel shock and improved within a few days. I believe my Monsieur oud, vetiver and even jasmine have a bit of it too.
I didn’t notice it much with my tigerwood or Kinam rouge, so some may have it more than others.