Towards a more direct description of oud oils
- Thread starter Philip
- Start date
At any given point in time, I submit that the following tenets will always be true:
1) I sincerely admire the art that the artisanal Oud producers create. They are fully invested in every detail of the process, and their effort and energy are always reflected in the end product. I very consciously chose the word "art" because it is nothing short of that.
2) I will always assume that the raw materials used for distillation are of utmost quality - whether they are wild (whatever world supply is left) or cultivated (no shame in that game).
3) Oud oils are complex and scent profiles vary from person to person due to contact with skin, storage etc...
Having said all that, I sometimes wish that the descriptions of oils were more to-the-point. I have browsed many sites and each oil description is typically several paragraphs long. This appears to be an industry-wide practice. I usually come out confused and overwhelmed, without a clear sense of what the oils are supposed to resemble. The feeling is compounded especially when I am comparing oils as opposed to just randomly browsing. Admittedly, that is due to the fact that I have not mastered the subtleties of Oud, like he kind of oils that specific countries, regions within countries or different trees typically yield.
All I am saying is the following: Perhaps at the end of the usual description, or somewhere in the margins, it would be nice to have a short, concise list of salient notes. Even just two or three adjectives that are the most salient qualities of the oils in question. You know, for the simple-minded folks like me
If I am going off the deep end here, don't hesitate to call me out
1) I sincerely admire the art that the artisanal Oud producers create. They are fully invested in every detail of the process, and their effort and energy are always reflected in the end product. I very consciously chose the word "art" because it is nothing short of that.
2) I will always assume that the raw materials used for distillation are of utmost quality - whether they are wild (whatever world supply is left) or cultivated (no shame in that game).
3) Oud oils are complex and scent profiles vary from person to person due to contact with skin, storage etc...
Having said all that, I sometimes wish that the descriptions of oils were more to-the-point. I have browsed many sites and each oil description is typically several paragraphs long. This appears to be an industry-wide practice. I usually come out confused and overwhelmed, without a clear sense of what the oils are supposed to resemble. The feeling is compounded especially when I am comparing oils as opposed to just randomly browsing. Admittedly, that is due to the fact that I have not mastered the subtleties of Oud, like he kind of oils that specific countries, regions within countries or different trees typically yield.
All I am saying is the following: Perhaps at the end of the usual description, or somewhere in the margins, it would be nice to have a short, concise list of salient notes. Even just two or three adjectives that are the most salient qualities of the oils in question. You know, for the simple-minded folks like me
If I am going off the deep end here, don't hesitate to call me out
Ask around and before you know it, you will be familiarized with an oils profile and even regional differences. However, with oud, a little nose training goes a long way. It's better to be at it for over a year and have tried a dozen or more oils
Hey Philip! First, you are always entitled to post your opinion here in a respectful way, just as you did. Differing opinions, reviews, debate, etc, will always be encouraged. I have a couple ways I look at this. I agree with John, a lot of this is subjective. Noses are all different. I personally am not the best at identifying notes, and actually look at it more experiential. I love the stories behind the oils. I have no problem with these guys marketing their oils as well, given no flat out false statements, which I have never seen direct evidence of.
Hi Philip, to discover more about an oils scent profile without actually smelling it, you can read the reviews on the vendors site and in the forums. Plus, inquire directly with the Artisan and seasoned forum members. PM is just a tap away
Ask around and before you know it, you will be familiarized with an oils profile and even regional differences. However, with oud, a little nose training goes a long way. It's better to be at it for over a year and have tried a dozen or more oils
Ask around and before you know it, you will be familiarized with an oils profile and even regional differences. However, with oud, a little nose training goes a long way. It's better to be at it for over a year and have tried a dozen or more oils
When it comes to the description given by the Artisans, some people don't like stories, others do. I love the stories I want to hear anything and everything an Artisan wishes to share about an oil. I can't get enough, I'm at the forums daily to hear even more about an oil, and if my pockets were deep I would try every new release of the "Fab 5"
Those who are into Oud are mostly very Passionate, and the Artisans who create them, even more so, that's why I find their stories, videos, and comments very interesting
I want to hear anything and everything an Artisan wishes to share about an oil. I can't get enough, I'm at the forums daily to hear even more about an oil, and if my pockets were deep I would try every new release of the "Fab 5"Those who are into Oud are mostly very Passionate, and the Artisans who create them, even more so, that's why I find their stories, videos, and comments very interesting
When it comes to the description given by the Artisans, some people don't like stories, others do. I love the stories I want to hear anything and everything an Artisan wishes to share about an oil. I can't get enough, I'm at the forums daily to hear even more about an oil, and if my pockets were deep I would try every new release of the "Fab 5"
Those who are into Oud are mostly very Passionate, and the Artisans who create them, even more so, that's why I find their stories, videos, and comments very interesting
I want to hear anything and everything an Artisan wishes to share about an oil. I can't get enough, I'm at the forums daily to hear even more about an oil, and if my pockets were deep I would try every new release of the "Fab 5"Those who are into Oud are mostly very Passionate, and the Artisans who create them, even more so, that's why I find their stories, videos, and comments very interesting
For me... Its all about a story...
Biography of an oil...
Just like a relationship between human beings... you may get to know someone... go out... have a coffee... all day long... chatting... cracking jokes...
laughing... enjoying each other... then leave and never meet again...
However, to truly value, understand and apreciate an individual/oil... to finally fall in LOVE... one MUST know more about an individual/oil...
No matter how ridiculous it may sound but the NOTE break down brings the least benefit to me personally... I try to examine and apreciate every good oil as a piece of art. Personal taste, the notes, surprisingly, totally irrelevant here...
For instance, the most complex oil with super diverse notes may smell like a mess (it is due to a "gap" in its biography that I would love to identify). On the other hands one may have a single note oil that just jump on the stage and become the absolute winner (again I want to see its true story to know how, when and why it happened).
Sadly, true stories are not common in the world of oud. From time to time "producers" of "high" grade oils contacting me offering their products. For my request to share knowledge, information, details or simply show a picture of their equipment they never reply back... Therefore its very important one stick to people who he know, trust and respect. So that they tell one the true story of an oil or individual... So that one can start to LOVE an oil or individual for what he really is... and not for his name, appearance or fancy language he use...
Biography of an oil...
Just like a relationship between human beings... you may get to know someone... go out... have a coffee... all day long... chatting... cracking jokes...
laughing... enjoying each other... then leave and never meet again...
However, to truly value, understand and apreciate an individual/oil... to finally fall in LOVE... one MUST know more about an individual/oil...
No matter how ridiculous it may sound but the NOTE break down brings the least benefit to me personally... I try to examine and apreciate every good oil as a piece of art. Personal taste, the notes, surprisingly, totally irrelevant here...
For instance, the most complex oil with super diverse notes may smell like a mess (it is due to a "gap" in its biography that I would love to identify). On the other hands one may have a single note oil that just jump on the stage and become the absolute winner (again I want to see its true story to know how, when and why it happened).
Sadly, true stories are not common in the world of oud. From time to time "producers" of "high" grade oils contacting me offering their products. For my request to share knowledge, information, details or simply show a picture of their equipment they never reply back... Therefore its very important one stick to people who he know, trust and respect. So that they tell one the true story of an oil or individual... So that one can start to LOVE an oil or individual for what he really is... and not for his name, appearance or fancy language he use...
@Philip one of the ways to tackle it is to get a few samples and begin to formulate your own descriptive adjectives from your own point of reference, then you can compare and contrast with reviews and discussion. As you get more exposure to different oils you'll build your own vocabulary, library and reference as well as being able to better understand what others are saying when they discuss an oil.
Also, there's the aspect of time. Sometimes in the excitement of a new oil I'll review it quickly only to find that I'm able to discern it better after wearing the oil several times and really listening to it, picking up different qualities of the oil. That's another thing to think about when it comes to the artisans. The artisan usually has a much more involved and intimate relationship with the oil, seeing it go from feedstock to oil and then wearing and assessing the oil until they decide to release it. They've had the time to get better acquainted with the oil, hence their own review will, at many times be more nuanced than our assessment when we first get an oil.
Also, there's the aspect of time. Sometimes in the excitement of a new oil I'll review it quickly only to find that I'm able to discern it better after wearing the oil several times and really listening to it, picking up different qualities of the oil. That's another thing to think about when it comes to the artisans. The artisan usually has a much more involved and intimate relationship with the oil, seeing it go from feedstock to oil and then wearing and assessing the oil until they decide to release it. They've had the time to get better acquainted with the oil, hence their own review will, at many times be more nuanced than our assessment when we first get an oil.
Adam, your method of loving what you do, and sharing it on videos to other Oud Lovers is Epic!
Ensar made videos before you, nice ones I may add, but you brought us closer to the pots, the cooking, and collecting the precious drops
Ensar made videos before you, nice ones I may add, but you brought us closer to the pots, the cooking, and collecting the precious drops
@Adam I think I understand what you're saying and I've smelled oils like both of what you mention. I relate it to differences in the type of horizontal complexity that an oil has. I've smelled oils with a type of horizontal complexity that's diverse yet the notes are rather fragmented with disjointed transitions, they don't completely gel, if the notes were sounds it would be a cacophony, discordant, screechy, like the sound a fax machine makes when it's transmitting. And then you have oils with a wide bandwidth of horizontal complexity that are well married ,with smooth transition. Also, you have oils that are rather "marvelously monotonous" as one vendor put it, where there's not a lot of complexity but the little it has is so rich, decadent and different from other oils out there that the oil can define and be the pinnacle of the genre. For the former discordant type, I don't know exactly what causes it but IMO it's how the oil is brought to market; it likely needs more time to settle and unify.