SOTD

[kooolaid79]

EO’s Oud Zachariyya for me this morning. A nice cold day here in Los Angeles and what better way to try this beast of a Oud. Upon receiving a sample of this oil courtesy of Adam Coburn, I was truly amazed at the depth of this oil. Upon the first whiff was ahhh yes sir.
As this oud connected with my skin, I started getting all these different aromas. Very specific to another beast oil, the oud Sulieman 3. I knew I had to get this oil and wanted to send a big shoutout to @PEARL for making that happen.
The barn in those Oud is very smooth. Maybe a couple notches under Assam Kinam and Nuh. I would probably say somewhere near the Oud Mustafa 5. I get a beautiful cheese flavor taste. Not some ordinary cheese but rather cheese cake ( my wife just made some awesome Nutella cheesecake)
The dry down is spot on and hints of beautiful powderish notes come to life.
This is a beast of a oil and from the recent article which was posted about the quality and how rare this type of wood is/was very important for me to get.
Thank you @Ensar for allowing us to smell this monster of a Oud. Simply awesome stuff.

 

[Simla House]

Oh i thought I saw @bhanny a moment ago. Must have been a dream..

I also spied him the other evening.

 

[JohnH]

Hainan 05 (EO)
Today’s subzero weather is amplifying this beauty’s statement 10 fold.

Agreed. I think the cold really brings out the best with Aquilaria sinensis oils.

 

[Larry K.]

I thought I had some important work to do. But as I headed out, the DHL package on my porch told me something more pressing had arisen.

Agar Aura’s incense. Nha Trang and West Borneo. Safely wrapped, beautifully but efficiently packaged, all in perfect condition. The sticks themselves so perfectly made they could be Shoyeido premium-even considering Taha’s self-professed OCD I’m stunned that he can produce so perfect a stick without years of practice. It gives a clue about how fastidious he must be with his oils. As it burns the ash coils and holds to the stick. The burn is absolutely constant. The smoke is moderate, creamy and not harsh or acrid.

The scent-First impressions. I’ve only burned one Nha Trang. Absolutely top shelf. It has that marshmallow-y, cinnamon-y, S’mores yumminess. Calming. Milky. Lemon creme. A hint of cherry fondant. Warm sun. Serene, transporting. More spices-allspice, nutmeg, mace. Bitter cocoa powder heating in sweetened milk. After the burn ends the fragrance lingers, still sweet, lighter now, some dried flowers. A memory of freshly ironed cotton.

This is in the style of the Bosen incenses or the YamadaMatsu rikkoku series. In my humble opinion, higher quality than the Bosen, and more even burn. At least as good as the 3+ year old YamadaMatsu I own. In fact, I’m going to say better quality wood than the YamadaMatsu, and more of it.

A great achievement Taha! A total pleasure to sit and listen. A stunning premiere into a new endeavor. My heartfelt congratulations to you!

 

[GalileoFigaroMagnifico]

The very reasonably priced Cambodia Seufi Aged from Oudmarket.uk. A fruit compote with a lot of spice: plums, apples, cinnamon, coriander. The other two samples I got (Malaysia Aged and Trat AAA) are more complex and challenging, but this one is a pure joy.

 

[Rasoul S]

Kekasihku is another one that’s been difficult for me. Thanks to your description I know I’m on the right track. These oils are difficult. I’ve gotten to the payoff point with Ayu and (finally!) getting there with Au Luong. Once I get a good grip on Au Luong I’ll go back to learning Kekasihku. Rasoul, if your perception changes or expands I’d appreciate your impressions.

@Larry K. for sure will do.
i am very slightly warming up to ayu. either the strength of the piercing top notes has subsided with aging/oxidation or i am getting used to it. au luogn not so much yet. of all taha gen 3 oils, kekasihku was the oen with the longest learning curve and only one that really made me change my perception. others that i can send a nod to in the way they improved from good to great is kanzen. one that for me went from great to good is lavanya/kalyani.

jury still out on wanmei. is a very young oil and still both muted and carryign with it a very very mild something meaty or stainlessy in scent that i dont care for. i have learned in short time to not draw conclusions based on few attempts and a month or so of observation. more time needed.

kenmei, kiyosumi are absolutely screaming awesomeness at this point though. both sooooooo good. kenmei the quietter one and kiyosumi the louder one.

 

[Rasoul S]

Hainan 05 (EO)

Today’s subzero weather is amplifying this beauty’s statement 10 fold. If there’s one thing this ridiculous weather is good for, it’s for analyzing the oud collection from a different perspective. Seasonal changes are perhaps akin to auditioning different audiophile headphones with your favourite playlists. Nonetheless, there are some “string quartets” eagerly awaiting some warmer weather. Anyways, praise be for walking in this high class, orangey-medicinal oud winter wonderland this morning.
Brrrrrrrrr.

as you know i am not into chinese oils these days but i can see thgeniusus behind china sayang but much more so in hainan 05. a very special oil with a clear kinamic edge and that mind buzzing note.

 

[Rasoul S]

I thought I had some important work to do. But as I headed out, the DHL package on my porch told me something more pressing had arisen.

Agar Aura’s incense. Nha Trang and West Borneo. Safely wrapped, beautifully but efficiently packaged, all in perfect condition. The sticks themselves so perfectly made they could be Shoyeido premium-even considering Taha’s self-professed OCD I’m stunned that he can produce so perfect a stick without years of practice. It gives a clue about how fastidious he must be with his oils. As it burns the ash coils and holds to the stick. The burn is absolutely constant. The smoke is moderate, creamy and not harsh or acrid.

The scent-First impressions. I’ve only burned one Nha Trang. Absolutely top shelf. It has that marshmallow-y, cinnamon-y, S’mores yumminess. Calming. Milky. Lemon creme. A hint of cherry fondant. Warm sun. Serene, transporting. More spices-allspice, nutmeg, mace. Bitter cocoa powder heating in sweetened milk. After the burn ends the fragrance lingers, still sweet, lighter now, some dried flowers. A memory of freshly ironed cotton.

This is in the style of the Bosen incenses or the YamadaMatsu rikkoku series. In my humble opinion, higher quality than the Bosen, and more even burn. At least as good as the 3+ year old YamadaMatsu I own. In fact, I’m going to say better quality wood than the YamadaMatsu, and more of it.

A great achievement Taha! A total pleasure to sit and listen. A stunning premiere into a new endeavor. My heartfelt congratulations to you!

i on the other hand dont get the nha trang stick. not yet at least. but the hainan.... ooooh you are in for a treat.

 

[Simla House]

as you know i am not into chinese oils these days but i can see thgeniusus behind china sayang but much more so in hainan 05. a very special oil with a clear kinamic edge and that mind buzzing note.

If this weather keeps up, I’ll give Sayang a try tomorrow, it’s been a bit since I’ve worn it. I go back and forth between which one of these I prefer the most.
I know you’re not too keen on the Chinese oils, nor the hindi oils, which still breaks my heart, but I understand.

 

[Rasoul S]

If this weather keeps up, I’ll give Sayang a try tomorrow, it’s been a bit since I’ve worn it. I go back and forth between which one of these I prefer the most.
I know you’re not too keen on the Chinese oils, nor the hindi oils, which still breaks my heart, but I understand.

I’ll warm up to some Chinese oils before Hindi’s. In meantime I am happy with Vietnam Borneo and Ensar’s sultan co distillations. In fact if forced, I can be happy with just Vietnam.

 

[Larry K.]

@Larry K. for sure will do.
i am very slightly warming up to ayu. either the strength of the piercing top notes has subsided with aging/oxidation or i am getting used to it. au luogn not so much yet. of all taha gen 3 oils, kekasihku was the oen with the longest learning curve and only one that really made me change my perception. others that i can send a nod to in the way they improved from good to great is kanzen. one that for me went from great to good is lavanya/kalyani.

jury still out on wanmei. is a very young oil and still both muted and carryign with it a very very mild something meaty or stainlessy in scent that i dont care for. i have learned in short time to not draw conclusions based on few attempts and a month or so of observation. more time needed.

kenmei, kiyosumi are absolutely screaming awesomeness at this point though. both sooooooo good. kenmei the quietter one and kiyosumi the louder one.

It’s so weird! Ayu took me two wearings and it became one of my most treasured oils. I get none of the organic solvent smell that knocked me over on my first try. Kenmei took two or three tries before I realized it was the real deal. (I wasted no time in laying in a bit extra for the future.) Lavanya I can barely smell at all. (I’m sorry to hear you like it less than before.) Au Luong and Kekasihku smelled like corn oil at first, then went to being naphtha at knockout strength, and now they’re calming down and revealing subtler accords. This is after at least a month of trying. Couple that with your exact opposite experiences with some of them and it seems like there’s no rhyme or reason. Ayu remains my prime example of how it’s really, really worth putting in the effort.

 

[kooolaid79]

This afternoon I had to attend a funeral for a old family friend. Please pray for the deceased and patience for the family.
After the funeral was over, one person who I know not so well but rather good enough for a quick greeting or a short conversation pulled me to the side and said I got to tell you something. When I enquired what’s that, he said I went ahead and purchased a full bottle of Oud Yusuf as my first proper Oud. I said a very good choice and you won’t be disappointed at all. He said I want to come and show you the Oud sometime at your school. I said no need brother as I already have it. He said Oh.
I then took out my Oud Zachariyya and said, when your ready you will know and I put a small dab on his wrist and showed him how to apply. He sniffed it and said wow, I said I know and I have to go. Thought I would share that encounter from late this afternoon.

 

[Rasoul S]

This afternoon I had to attend a funeral for a old family friend. Please pray for the deceased and patience for the family.
After the funeral was over, one person who I know not so well but rather good enough for a quick greeting or a short conversation pulled me to the side and said I got to tell you something. When I enquired what’s that, he said I went ahead and purchased a full bottle of Oud Yusuf as my first proper Oud. I said a very good choice and you won’t be disappointed at all. He said I want to come and show you the Oud sometime at your school. I said no need brother as I already have it. He said Oh.
I then took out my Oud Zachariyya and said, when your ready you will know and I put a small dab on his wrist and showed him how to apply. He sniffed it and said wow, I said I know and I have to go. Thought I would share that encounter from late this afternoon.

Prayers and best wishes for all who experience suffering one way or another.

Very neat story. Very nice. Great and unique oud you introduced to your aquiantance.

 

[Rasoul S]

It’s so weird! Ayu took me two wearings and it became one of my most treasured oils. I get none of the organic solvent smell that knocked me over on my first try. Kenmei took two or three tries before I realized it was the real deal. (I wasted no time in laying in a bit extra for the future.) Lavanya I can barely smell at all. (I’m sorry to hear you like it less than before.) Au Luong and Kekasihku smelled like corn oil at first, then went to being naphtha at knockout strength, and now they’re calming down and revealing subtler accords. This is after at least a month of trying. Couple that with your exact opposite experiences with some of them and it seems like there’s no rhyme or reason. Ayu remains my prime example of how it’s really, really worth putting in the effort.

Hi Larry. No doubt about the need to put in the time. With all fine Oud but particularly with this genre of stuff taha does and specially when we twist his arm to release them sooner. I really really wish we had conclusive answer into why we see certain oils as night and day.

I can totally relate to your comment on lavanya on just how awfully quiet it has become. I mean to begin with it was subtle but seems even more quiet now. It is frustrating for some but for me is kinda fun to have this hide and seek behavior of the oils. It’s always a surprise.

I also fully agree with you and kekasihku. At first it almost smelled like nothing. Empty vial and now it is anything but. Don’t get me wrong it is an oil i day is lacking the piercing and profound top notes like ayu or au luong but is definitely a beast in mid and bottom.

I am very excited to hear au luong is showing subtler notes for you. Hopefully i too will get to experience those.

Let’s the journey continue. May we eventually in this lifetime get an answer behind how and why some oils have this behavior.

Now back to tonight’s oil for yoga followed by meditation practice. My heart and soul is begging more Vietnamese but I am going to take a break from them as I don’t want to ever run the risk of growing tired of them.

Since it’s a yin class I am going to go against my usual one oil wear at a time only and wear two oils:
Ensar oud Oud royal Sri Lanka
Vs
Ensar Oud surirankah senkoh
Stay tuned in for how they will show themselves this evening.

 

[PEARL]

Agar Aura~Philippinas 1

Picture looking into a huge funnel, so big in fact that you can’t see the exit. Along the entrance’s outer rim lie the thick incensey, intense oudiness that you get from the finest Malay oils, but with no jungle, dampness or murky notes. Along the interior of the funnel are yellow, green, blue and purple notes that have no end, a kaleidoscopic prism. The center is open, expansive and has the crystal clear, clean clarity that is the signature of many of Taha’s oils. The oils projection will fill the elevator that you and your workmates share, and it’s evident that they all notice your scent. Picture that, and you get to scratch the surface of this oils quality. Intense serenity!

 

[kesiro]

@PEARL Damn bro. You have a way with words. Respect.

 

[Rasoul S]

Ok here we go.

Surirankah and orsl are almost as if made by two very different people. The oils are quite different albeit both share a clear breeding and superior quality.

Orsl is a beast. A wild beast but one with grace. Like a tiger. A lion. Powerful but with elegance and nuance. Tons going on here. Massive oil with huge and I mean gobs of all the top mid and base notes. All the way to the finish it remains powerful. A very oud oud. This ain’t for the newbies or faint of heart. He is a hulk. Chiseled and like each muscle popping out a scent pops out. Really lots goin going on.

SS is a leaner more elegant more lithe and airier oil juxtaposed orsl.

SS is more pretty more top notes more loosely knit and open. Really like ocean breeze. Mango peels. Most beautiful cinnamons and delicate cardamoms. The air off the ocean smelled up on a cliff.

Both oils are quite uplifting in scent but somehow grounding in effect. I mean when I smell it first I expect an uplifting and energizing oil. But after wearing it I actually end up feeling more grounded more present and more relaxed. Not quite like a sedative but not far either.

I am lucky to have had this experience.

Cheers to all

 

[Rasoul S]

Agar Aura~Philippinas 1

Picture looking into a huge funnel, so big in fact that you can’t see the exit. Along the entrance’s outer rim lie the thick incensey, intense oudiness that you get from the finest Malay oils, but with no jungle, dampness or murky notes. Along the interior of the funnel are yellow, green, blue and purple notes that have no end, a kaleidoscopic prism. The center is open, expansive and has the crystal clear, clean clarity that is the signature of many of Taha’s oils. The oils projection will fill the elevator that you and your workmates share, and it’s evident that they all notice your scent. Picture that, and you get to scratch the surface of this oils quality. Intense serenity!

Beautiful. You have inadvertently stirred something in me. I am going to wear this oil tomorrow night and try and describe the visual aspect and the journey the minds eye sees. The places that conjure up or memories. I’ll come back in 24 hours and share how I see philipina no1 thru a borrowed pair of Pearl’s lenses.

Many of us or at least me sometimes fall into assessing these oils thru a critical eye. Thru a let’s find the technique used or it is gen 3 or senkoh or sultan or organic or copper or ... we end up trapped with comparisons and forcing the oil to an impossible performance.

Is good to let go of all that and instead of picking out the oil’s notes and it’s make up, just sit back and watch the show. Close the eyes and snif away. Or have a great visual video like Apple TV screen savers on tv or even put on some beautiful music on in the background and gonback to smelling and enjoying and appreciating the oil.

 

[kesiro]

You guys are on a roll tonight, lol. Right on the money Rasoul. The ORSR is a ruff and gruff character. Like Daniel Craig's take on James Bond. The SS is more like Roger Moore's. More subtle, cloying, witty, and graceful. But both kick ass in their own way. Like you said, it's a treat to be able to experience them both.

 

[Rasoul S]

You guys are on a roll tonight, lol. Right on the money Rasoul. The ORSR is a ruff and gruff character. Like Daniel Craig's take on James Bond. The SS is more like Roger Moore's. More subtle, cloying, witty, and graceful. But both kick ass in their own way. Like you said, it's a treat to be able to experience them both.

i can actually see that analogy. good one doc. stay tuned in for philipina no 1 coming out to play tonight for yoga practice.

on another news started the day with one of my absolute favorites: sultan abdus selam. is not a wow oil with fireworks but instead a vortex that sucks you in and reveals gentle nuances along the trup down. very grounding but sobering at the same time. i am chill yet focused and present at work. no coffee needed. the scent? well lots going on. some elements of dried fruit in yusuf. some of that green blue sri lankan surirankah notes but in a darker richer and more tenacious way. green papua and hints of oils like port moresbey. i can even see dark purple floral notes mixed with the spice, savoury, earthy, balsam, mildly camphoric notes. here and there i am reminded also of TW95. its all of those and yet none of those. the greatest quality of this oil for me is how relatively quiet it sits on the skin and the low intensity of the volatile top notes. as pretty as those top notes are in oils like malinau, pretty much all sri lankans, etc. it really is nice to have oils that are all about the heart and base: to my nose these are abdus selam, oud ahmad, kenmei, lavanya, chugoku senkoh, zacharriya...