Maroke (merauke) agarwood: filaria or gyrinops or...?

[Rasoul S]

hi all

my understanding is in Papua there is both gyrinops and filaria. are these the only agarwood species there or vast majority? it is also my understanding that ensar green papua is gyrinops vs emerald or xiang liao ling that are both filaria. agar aura syed's ascent and succor too is filaria. what about port moresby? sultani?

is an oil tagged as maroke/merauke made from filaria species exclusively or ...?

i see more of a sense of place in oils from papua regardless of variety of agarwood. or is that filaria and gyrinops at least as grown in papua is very similar in style?

what gives the wood there such unique traits? most earthy, dark top soil, seaweed mud bath notes than any other wood and oil from any other region. supposedly some filipino oils and wood (ones made from filaria) are also like that.

any and all thoughts and experience on merauke, filaria and gyrinops is welcome.

ty for sharing your knowledge and wisdom

for a mini review:
EO green papua: opening is tolerable for me, but not loving it. having said that this oil does evolve and opens up to be rather pretty in the context of papua.

EO xiang liao ling: no sir. i can't do it. even the dry down. is simply too much. crude oil, hints of diesel and old engine oil.

EO emerald: i am sorry but this is just so mono in its diesel and old dirty gas station singular note that neither i nor anyone i have shared this oil with can find any joy in it.

EO oud sultani: this one is great for this genre of oils. mellow, nuanced, layered, bunch of stuff going on while being very true to its origins and many notes that one can easily pick up


EO port moresbey: i am not sure if it is filaria or gyrinops (i think latter) and if it is from meurake jungle or else where. there are lots of similarities but more differences. the breeding is simply different and of much higher quality. this oil i love.

Agar Aura syed's succor: nope. can't to it. black, ashtray, black walnut skin, burnt peat, tar.

agar Aura syed's ascent: also nope. is a much more honed in and focused oil, clearly top tier but still too similar for me to the succor, xiang liao ling, sultani... and not that far off from green papua, although the latter i think is different wood. has some similarities to ones below but more differences.

 

[Philip]

Filaria/Marokes have been especially challenging for me too. Not too crazy about them, to be honest. BUT, at the expense of sounding like a broken record, you have to try Sultani 1990. This one is on a league of its own. Come back and tell me you don't like it...

I hope someone will answer all of your questions - can't wait to read some replies.

 

[Oudamberlove]

It's quite simple really.
You either have a mental aversion,
or need more oud training,
or lack the proper olfactory faculties.

I absolutely adore Xiang Liao Ling, and I'm not dreaming it.

If it is a mental aversion to certain notes, that's difficult to overcome.
If you just need more training, be patient.
If you lack certain olfactory faculties, then that is a handicap for lovers of oud.

 

[Simla House]

Perhaps the winter climate isn’t right for you to experience Maroke type oils.
I really enjoy the filaria distillations in the spring and summer, especially XLL.
XLL was the first V-Vial I had ever purchased, it just hit me one morning while wearing it and I fell in love with it. It and opened up an entire new experience for me with agarwood. For the latter half of the fall, I’ve shied away from Marokes because it's already so damp outside that I'm looking for a contrast, or at least a complementary experience (such as Green Papua; it brings a beautiful refreshing presence to the current dank, while still harmonizing with the fresh air and flora). The exception to this is Sultani ’90, which I find also contains more “heat” and perhaps a camphoric dynamic that can contrast the dampness of winter. Maybe give them another try when the weather warms up considerably. If you’re anything like me, I’m finding oud is so climate related that I’m beginning to believe some should only be enjoyed like a seasonal vegetable (if you live in a climate that has actual seasons, for example), or like one would listen to a particular raga during the prescribed time of day because of it’s compatibility.

As for Green Papua, my experience with it was that I enjoy it more after it has had some oxidation, perhaps decant some into a sample sized vial; it gave the oil a slightly “darker” fragrance, if that makes sense. In fact, it was my SOTD, now that I think of it
And as for Port Moresby, well........ it just showed up an hour ago, and I have yet to try it, but from the praises of the esteemed colleagues that wander the halls of this forum are correct, I’m going to love it.

Keep on truckin', you have a good nose from what I've read. I'm sure you will come to connect with these Marokes that are playing hard to get.

 

[Rasoul S]

Filaria/Marokes have been especially challenging for me too. Not too crazy about them, to be honest. BUT, at the expense of sounding like a broken record, you have to try Sultani 1990. This one is on a league of its own. Come back and tell me you don't like it...

I hope someone will answer all of your questions - can't wait to read some replies.

Agreed. I wrote about it in my original post. Sultani=1990 sultani

 

[Philip]

@Rasoul S Ok - that's what I thought but didn't want to assume. As @Simla House stated, just keep truckin' along. Yesterday I wore Royale No. 5 specifically to challenge myself and for more "training" (to put it in Curt's words). In the past year, my reaction to Marokes has shifted from " No thanks" to "Alright, fine" and hopefully will progress to "Yes, please" soon. With the exception of my precious OS90, of course.

 

[Nikhil S]

Rasoul Bhai just like Taha s oil, Meraukes are thing of mystery. You are way more experienced with oils than me but trust me when I share these tips with you. Meroke/Chinese/Kyara oils fall into the "demanding" category. Just wait for the air to be dry. No humidity crispy air. Don't wear Ouds for a week or so esp Camdodi/Hindi. They tend to obliterate oud reception. Now a little Meroke on wrist and a bit over earlobes. A Meroke rises in the driest stage. Extremely slow transitions like it is in suspended Animation. Right when you're about to give up it'll show you what Artisanal Oud is all about. It's a revelation the details of which I would love to hear from your own experience. It's extraterrestrial. Lol. Trust me, will you ? It took me a lot of time to get there. Of course, I don't mention the amount of money wasted on mediocre stuff.

 

[Rasoul S]

It's quite simple really.
You either have a mental aversion,
or need more oud training,
or lack the proper olfactory faculties.

I absolutely adore Xiang Liao Ling, and I'm not dreaming it.

If it is a mental aversion to certain notes, that's difficult to overcome.
If you just need more training, be patient.
If you lack certain olfactory faculties, then that is a handicap for lovers of oud.

is mental for must part. but seasonal as well as preference. overall i like oils that sit closer to the skin and more toned down. personal vs public oils. huge projection is not for me.

 

[Rasoul S]

Perhaps the winter climate isn’t right for you to experience Maroke type oils.
I really enjoy the filaria distillations in the spring and summer, especially XLL.
XLL was the first V-Vial I had ever purchased, it just hit me one morning while wearing it and I fell in love with it. It and opened up an entire new experience for me with agarwood. For the latter half of the fall, I’ve shied away from Marokes because it's already so damp outside that I'm looking for a contrast, or at least a complementary experience (such as Green Papua; it brings a beautiful refreshing presence to the current dank, while still harmonizing with the fresh air and flora). The exception to this is Sultani ’90, which I find also contains more “heat” and perhaps a camphoric dynamic that can contrast the dampness of winter. Maybe give them another try when the weather warms up considerably. If you’re anything like me, I’m finding oud is so climate related that I’m beginning to believe some should only be enjoyed like a seasonal vegetable (if you live in a climate that has actual seasons, for example), or like one would listen to a particular raga during the prescribed time of day because of it’s compatibility.

As for Green Papua, my experience with it was that I enjoy it more after it has had some oxidation, perhaps decant some into a sample sized vial; it gave the oil a slightly “darker” fragrance, if that makes sense. In fact, it was my SOTD, now that I think of it

And as for Port Moresby, well........ it just showed up an hour ago, and I have yet to try it, but from the praises of the esteemed colleagues that wander the halls of this forum are correct, I’m going to love it.

Keep on truckin', you have a good nose from what I've read. I'm sure you will come to connect with these Marokes that are playing hard to get.

totally agreed re climate and time of the year. 25 days a month rain here in vancouver. cold and damp.

so are all maroke's filaria? is green papua gyrinops? what gives maroke's their signature and what is in oils like port moresbey that has enough similarity yet vastly different to these oils? @Ensar ? @Kruger ? @Simla House ? @OudforLife ? @Oudamberlove ?

 

[Rasoul S]

Rasoul Bhai just like Taha s oil, Meraukes are thing of mystery. You are way more experienced with oils than me but trust me when I share these tips with you. Meroke/Chinese/Kyara oils fall into the "demanding" category. Just wait for the air to be dry. No humidity crispy air. Don't wear Ouds for a week or so esp Camdodi/Hindi. They tend to obliterate oud reception. Now a little Meroke on wrist and a bit over earlobes. A Meroke rises in the driest stage. Extremely slow transitions like it is in suspended Animation. Right when you're about to give up it'll show you what Artisanal Oud is all about. It's a revelation the details of which I would love to hear from your own experience. It's extraterrestrial. Lol. Trust me, will you ? It took me a lot of time to get there. Of course, I don't mention the amount of money wasted on mediocre stuff.

yes sir. my notes are never definitive but mere a snapshot of the oil and my reaction to it at a given time. we change. they change. context changes. too many variables. student of oud for life.

 

[Oudamberlove]

Oriscent Oud Royale no.1 is from A. Filaria
Hailed by many as one of the best
My first! try of Aquilaria Filaria was Agar Aura's Sultan's Solace. I was instantly awe-struck
I luuuuuuuuuuuved it
EO Xiang Liao Ling comes closest to that profile.
Those oils are the most Soul-Stirring for me. That feeling seems to spring from a different dimension than this physical existence.
Yes, there is some rubber in there.
But with Oud,,,If you let the rubber, the camphor, the indoles, the bug spray, the umami, the bandaid, the sesquiterpenes, the deisel, the gasoline, the smoke, the sludge, and the turpentine be your focus, then you have to shift your focus to the oud as a whole, and not just it's parts, and pay attention to the feelings within you. Otherwise, you will be a mono-aesthetic oud user, enchained by what you have been accustomed to. There is no oud, that I haven't learned to love. I have no upbringing in oud, so there is nothing to chain me down. I am free, and fully ready to learn the Fine Art of Oud Appreciation.

 

[Rasoul S]

Oriscent Oud Royale no.1 is from A. Filaria
Hailed by many as one of the best
My first! try of Aquilaria Filaria was Agar Aura's Sultan's Solace. I was instantly awe-struck
I luuuuuuuuuuuved it
EO Xiang Liao Ling comes closest to that profile.
Those oils are the most Soul-Stirring for me. That feeling seems to spring from a different dimension than this physical existence.
Yes, there is some rubber in there.
But with Oud,,,If you let the rubber, the camphor, the indoles, the bug spray, the umami, the bandaid, the sesquiterpenes, the deisel, the gasoline, the smoke, the sludge, and the turpentine be your focus, then you have to shift your focus to the oud as a whole, and not just it's parts, and pay attention to the feelings within you. Otherwise, you will be a mono-aesthetic oud user, enchained by what you have been accustomed to. There is no oud, that I haven't learned to love. I have no upbringing in oud, so there is nothing to chain me down. I am free, and fully ready to learn the Fine Art of Oud Appreciation.

amen. student of oud for life.

 

[Ensar Oud]

so are all maroke's filaria? is green papua gyrinops? what gives maroke's their signature and what is in oils like port moresbey that has enough similarity yet vastly different to these oils? @Ensar?

Hermano, all Marokes are aquilaria filaria. Supposedly not all filarias are Maroke. That means little to me personally because geographic locales have more bearing on the profile of the oil than the actual species that grow there; Sri Lanka being an aberration. Take Cambodian crassna saplings and plant them in Thailand. They will smell more like Thai crassnas than Cambodian crassnas. They will smell more like Thai subintegras than Cambodian crassnas. Take gyrinops grown in New Guinea and cook it in India, using the local water and stills. It will smell like an Assam from outer space if local distillation practices are implemented without prejudice.

The human mind cannot accept a blob of Existenz. It innately thinks in categories and groups and classes. Mystery does not sit very well with it. For reasons unique to myself, I have problems with that tendency. Take international borders, as a vulgar example. Is the separation between Thailand and Cambodia a natural one or a figment of colonial imagination? Similarly, trees are not classified in the chaotic mess of Existenz. Species are a man-made crutch, to help navigate and conquer nature. A priori, trees in the wild have as little to do with geopolitical borders or the language of the Romans as, say, Donald Trump has to do with conservative values. – All of which is, of course, when subjected to the same ethos of reasoning it proffers, a very ornate and euphemistic way of saying: I don't know very much about taxonomy or species and have, in turn, as little to do with them as Donald Trump has to do with conservative values.

But let me give you some food for thought. Take Chugoku Senkoh. Is it aquilaria agallocha or is it sinensis? Is it Chinese or Hindi? Or is it an uncategorizable, stateless Chindi with no true origin simply because taxonomists haven't gotten to the area bordering Assam and China?

A second illustration is offered by your question: What is it in Port Moresby that suggests 'enough similarity' yet is 'vastly different' to a Maroke?

 

[Oudamberlove]

Species are a man-made crutch, to help navigate and conquer nature.

How true!
The Trees are just out there doing their own thing. How they will smell in oud depends on many variables.

This reminds me of science, trying to measure time and space, measuring the infinite with the finite.

 

[Rasoul S]

Hermano, all Marokes are aquilaria filaria. Supposedly not all filarias are Maroke. That means little to me personally because geographic locales have more bearing on the profile of the oil than the actual species that grow there; Sri Lanka being an aberration. Take Cambodian crassna saplings and plant them in Thailand. They will smell more like Thai crassnas than Cambodian crassnas. They will smell more like Thai subintegras than Cambodian crassnas. Take gyrinops grown in New Guinea and cook it in India, using the local water and stills. It will smell like an Assam from outer space if local distillation practices are implemented without prejudice.

The human mind cannot accept a blob of Existenz. It innately thinks in categories and groups and classes. Mystery does not sit very well with it. For reasons unique to myself, I have problems with that tendency. Take international borders, as a vulgar example. Is the r filseparation between Thailand and Cambodia a natural one or a figment of colonial imagination? Similarly, trees are not classified in the chaotic mess of Existenz. Species are a man-made crutch, to help navigate and conquer nature. A priori, trees in the wild have as little to do with geopolitical borders or the language of the Romans as, say, Donald Trump has to do with conservative values. – All of which is, of course, when subjected to the same ethos of reasoning it proffers, a very ornate and euphemistic way of saying: I don't know very ariamuch about taxonomy or species and have, in turn, as little to do with them as Donald Trump has to do with conservative values.

But let me give you some food for thought. Take Chugoku Senkoh. Is it aquilaria agallocha or is it sinensis? Is it Chinese or Hindi? Or is it an uncategorizable, stateless Chindi with no true origin simply because taxonomists haven't gotten to the area bordering Assam and China?

A second illustration is offered by your question: What is it in Port Moresby that suggests 'enough similarity' yet is 'vastly different' to a Maroke?

Ty for this @Ensar . Is port Morsbey gyrinops or filaria or possibly blend of both species? Just curious as I clearly see just like grape vines, Same varieties planted on different terroir results in different wines. 30-40% contribution to the finished product.

I am just curious if that buzz in PM can be filaria? To me is the work of gyrinops and the right know how to coax it out.

 

[Ensar Oud]

To me is the work of gyrinops and the right know how to coax it out.

You said it.