A couple of things...
@Taha your analogy is apt, immersion into a world where everything is seemingly the same or at least so similar as not to matter. In many ways agarwood oils are like diamonds. To play with your words...
For the greatest majority, the eye (sight) does not venture too far past the overall basic flavor (generic qualities of shiny, sparkly) of the diamond(oudh oil).
I remember buying my then intendant spouse, now wife's ring. I was immersed in that foreign land where everything looked the same, I did know that I wanted the setting to be platinum but had no idea why one platinum 1 carat diamond ring was priced way more than another platinum 1 carat diamond ring. With oudh oil one has to first be interested, then expose themselves to higher quality oils and listen, with the diamond I had to educate myself. I learned about the 4 Pearls of diamonds and they do indeed relate to oudh oils. Carat weight~grade of wood, age of infection, wild vs cultivated, hygiene, filtering, curing, etc. Color~scent profile, richness, opulence, cohesion. In diamonds ranges from D-Z, absolutely colorless(the best in diamonds) to noticeable color. Clarity~what makes a diamond shine, how the oil reflects the pure smell of the resinated wood, complexity horizontal and vertical, horizontal complexity within the vertical and vice versa(Ammar), transition, smoothness, collapse or lack thereof. In diamonds graded from I3-many included faults to FL-flawless. Cut~the proportionality and symmetry of the diamond as cut by the artisan, the artisan and his ability to see through his vision by employing his materials and techniques, experimentation. I'm going to start grading oils this way; Lalitya- D, IF; Oud Isa D, FL; Hastakshar Kalakassi E VVS1. Just like diamonds, incremental increases in grade result in proportionally larger increases in relative price, despite them appearing or smelling similar at a glance they are not. Maybe some just need a loupe when assessing oils.
We all come from different backgrounds and for some English is not their primary language. To be clear, I intend no offense by the following only intend to help.
@Taha I touched on the z axis in my Manipur Mash Up report, except I used the term 3 dimensional. However, I used the term but did not think about the implications or short comings of such a term.
When you come on and talk about horizontal and vertical complexity, the x,y, and z-axis, as well as many concepts involving grades of oud and agarwood, many do understand. At the same time, many may not, the verbiage may be beyond their level of learning or comprehension. I know the vocation and profession of some here and what level of education they had to attain to be in that position and some are self taught, avid readers etc. with a higher comprehension level and/or intelligence, some are not. I suggest to try to use "layman's terms" in explaining the differences between true high grade and lower grades of oil because some simply may not be able to comprehend the concepts you're describing. Some understand but would never admit it, those can't be helped.
There's also what I'm going to call the "stick mentality". That's when one gets in their sample haul, rips open the package, smells each stick and runs and writes a review, makes an assessment or worse, compares the oils to others. In a thread called Side by Side on the other forum, my habibi Jawad from Al Shareef Oudh gives an easy and basic method for assessing and comparing oils and while some have developed themselves to not need his method, many do and should before comparing oils.
@Taha your analogy is apt, immersion into a world where everything is seemingly the same or at least so similar as not to matter. In many ways agarwood oils are like diamonds. To play with your words...
For the greatest majority, the eye (sight) does not venture too far past the overall basic flavor (generic qualities of shiny, sparkly) of the diamond(oudh oil).
I remember buying my then intendant spouse, now wife's ring. I was immersed in that foreign land where everything looked the same, I did know that I wanted the setting to be platinum but had no idea why one platinum 1 carat diamond ring was priced way more than another platinum 1 carat diamond ring. With oudh oil one has to first be interested, then expose themselves to higher quality oils and listen, with the diamond I had to educate myself. I learned about the 4 Pearls of diamonds and they do indeed relate to oudh oils. Carat weight~grade of wood, age of infection, wild vs cultivated, hygiene, filtering, curing, etc. Color~scent profile, richness, opulence, cohesion. In diamonds ranges from D-Z, absolutely colorless(the best in diamonds) to noticeable color. Clarity~what makes a diamond shine, how the oil reflects the pure smell of the resinated wood, complexity horizontal and vertical, horizontal complexity within the vertical and vice versa(Ammar), transition, smoothness, collapse or lack thereof. In diamonds graded from I3-many included faults to FL-flawless. Cut~the proportionality and symmetry of the diamond as cut by the artisan, the artisan and his ability to see through his vision by employing his materials and techniques, experimentation. I'm going to start grading oils this way; Lalitya- D, IF; Oud Isa D, FL; Hastakshar Kalakassi E VVS1. Just like diamonds, incremental increases in grade result in proportionally larger increases in relative price, despite them appearing or smelling similar at a glance they are not. Maybe some just need a loupe when assessing oils.
We all come from different backgrounds and for some English is not their primary language. To be clear, I intend no offense by the following only intend to help.
@Taha I touched on the z axis in my Manipur Mash Up report, except I used the term 3 dimensional. However, I used the term but did not think about the implications or short comings of such a term.
When you come on and talk about horizontal and vertical complexity, the x,y, and z-axis, as well as many concepts involving grades of oud and agarwood, many do understand. At the same time, many may not, the verbiage may be beyond their level of learning or comprehension. I know the vocation and profession of some here and what level of education they had to attain to be in that position and some are self taught, avid readers etc. with a higher comprehension level and/or intelligence, some are not. I suggest to try to use "layman's terms" in explaining the differences between true high grade and lower grades of oil because some simply may not be able to comprehend the concepts you're describing. Some understand but would never admit it, those can't be helped.
There's also what I'm going to call the "stick mentality". That's when one gets in their sample haul, rips open the package, smells each stick and runs and writes a review, makes an assessment or worse, compares the oils to others. In a thread called Side by Side on the other forum, my habibi Jawad from Al Shareef Oudh gives an easy and basic method for assessing and comparing oils and while some have developed themselves to not need his method, many do and should before comparing oils.
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