The following may fall on deaf ears, but I nonetheless wanted to share my personal experience with artisanal Oud.
As a few of you may already know by now, through private conversations, I hail from Grasse, France, the world capital of perfume. Back in the day, Grasse was a fragrance lover's paradise. Anywhere you went, you could smell Rose, Jasmine, Lavender, Orange Blossom and Fig depending on the season. Strolling through its streets, I often paused just take in a deep breath, and admire the beauty of nature. The sweetness and pink-ness of Rose (Rosa Centifolia) brought upon joy and happiness because it bloomed in May and signaled the return of beautiful Spring and Summer days. Lavender, on the other hand, instilled in me a great sense of peace and calm. The clouds of Orange Blossom (Neroli) engulfed my inner thoughts with such creaminess that it allowed me to get lost and drift away. Jasmine, perhaps the most celebrated, was so pristine and very uplifting that it made my problems go away. In fact, to this day, whenever I see Jasmine in Grasse, I actually pluck the flowers and eat them as is. Fig, on the other hand, is a call to summer fun, to living life fully - whether that meant spending hours at the table with loved ones laughing and eating, or hitting the beach and soak up the sun on the Riviera. Grasse truly is an olfactory paradise and it gave me the love for scents and fragrances. For that, I am eternally grateful.
At a young age my parents' work took me on a tour of the GCC - Bahrain, Oman and the UAE. (Tangentially, I remember when Dubai had at most a couple of buildings - otherwise, it was pure desert. When I do a Google Image search of Dubai now, I am astounded at the transformation). That is when I was first exposed to Oud, without knowing what Oud actually was. The foundation in fragrances I received from Grasse was transported to Arabia, and soon enough, all the roses, jasmine and lavender got supplanted by this mysterious wood that everyone was burning. To this day, my mother tells me stories of the dinners she would be invited to by her Emirati female colleagues: At the end of the meal, it was MANDATORY for the hostess to pass around a tray of fragrances for the guests to use. After the tray of fragrances came the Oud chips, and they would smoke themselves and their hair to envelope the perfumes and to layer up their scent. Anecdotally, for the speakers of Arabic in this forum, apparently there is an adage that goes like this: من بعد ال عود ما في قعود "After the oud, there is no staying." The Oud, culturally, was THE grand finale after a lavish dinner. It was THE night cap. It was THE perfect note to end the night on. How absolutely wonderful and marvelous that is. Can you imagine ending a dinner party here in the US or in Europe by passing around fragrances and Oud?
My early adulthood was spent here in the US and it was uneventful, scent-wise. The Americans do not share the deep passion for fragrance like Grasse and the GCC cultures do. I was mostly focused on my studies and getting a career started (which I am still working on, haha). I did, however, spend many summers going back to Grasse and the French Riviera where my family still resides. That is when I started coming in contact with the GCC royalties who themselves summer in the South of France. And when I say royalties, I mean the likes of Al Saud, Al Maktoum, Al Nahyan, Al Thani etc... Like clockwork, every July and August, an ARMY of wealth from the GCC disembarks in Cannes and Monaco with their Bugattis, Lamborghinis, Ferraris. Walking in Cannes in July/August is just like walking in Abu Dhabi or Dubai - rich Arabs everywhere. I became mesmerized by their exposition of wealth and above all, their Oud. I chased them down the streets just to smell them. Talk about sillage; talk about projection. It is unbelievable - you can smell them from 10 meters away. Thus began my quest to acquire some Oud oil. I purchased from the ME Houses (ASAQ, Ajmal, AO) with the goal of finding Oud with biggest sillage. Something to wow away not only myself, but everyone within a 5-meter radius of me. You see, it was not about me enjoying the Oud as much as it was impressing those around me. How arrogant and attention-seeking of me.
Having been disappointed by the ME Houses, about a year ago I stumbled upon artisanal Oud, and specifically, Ensar's Ouds. My first reaction was "Yeah right, these people are crazy. No way am I spending so much for so little." At the time, in my mind, what Ensar was selling was just a product. His was solely a commercial enterprise. Boy was I mistaken. In a very short amount of time, I have had the privilege of sampling an array oils: Jing Shen Lu, Xiang Liao Ling, Green Papua, Royale 1985, Royale No 5, Sultan Rose, Dhul Q, Imperial Oud's Kushiara and someone's private blend of Maroke oils. I have been blown away at every turn. Everything I thought I knew and wanted has been obliterated.
Artisanal Oud is not boastful, it is not loud. It is a very deeply personal experience that speaks to one's inner core. It is not about sillage or projection. It is not about getting others envious of your scent. Next summer when I am in Cannes, I will see the Royals parading through the streets and I will smile. I will smile because of my personal growth and my transformation. Such is the power of artisanal Oud. It has brought me full circle to my Grasse days when I admired the Rose, Jasmine and Lavender. Now I also admire Oud and the effect it has on me and my psyche. When I want to feel mysterious and elusive, I will wear Dhul Q. When I want to feel uplifted and light, I will wear something Green. When I want to feel cheerful and happy, I will wear Sultan Rose. When I want to focus, I will wear an earthy Maroke.
Thank you for this gift, thank you for grounding me, and thank you for bringing me full circle.
End rant.
As a few of you may already know by now, through private conversations, I hail from Grasse, France, the world capital of perfume. Back in the day, Grasse was a fragrance lover's paradise. Anywhere you went, you could smell Rose, Jasmine, Lavender, Orange Blossom and Fig depending on the season. Strolling through its streets, I often paused just take in a deep breath, and admire the beauty of nature. The sweetness and pink-ness of Rose (Rosa Centifolia) brought upon joy and happiness because it bloomed in May and signaled the return of beautiful Spring and Summer days. Lavender, on the other hand, instilled in me a great sense of peace and calm. The clouds of Orange Blossom (Neroli) engulfed my inner thoughts with such creaminess that it allowed me to get lost and drift away. Jasmine, perhaps the most celebrated, was so pristine and very uplifting that it made my problems go away. In fact, to this day, whenever I see Jasmine in Grasse, I actually pluck the flowers and eat them as is. Fig, on the other hand, is a call to summer fun, to living life fully - whether that meant spending hours at the table with loved ones laughing and eating, or hitting the beach and soak up the sun on the Riviera. Grasse truly is an olfactory paradise and it gave me the love for scents and fragrances. For that, I am eternally grateful.
At a young age my parents' work took me on a tour of the GCC - Bahrain, Oman and the UAE. (Tangentially, I remember when Dubai had at most a couple of buildings - otherwise, it was pure desert. When I do a Google Image search of Dubai now, I am astounded at the transformation). That is when I was first exposed to Oud, without knowing what Oud actually was. The foundation in fragrances I received from Grasse was transported to Arabia, and soon enough, all the roses, jasmine and lavender got supplanted by this mysterious wood that everyone was burning. To this day, my mother tells me stories of the dinners she would be invited to by her Emirati female colleagues: At the end of the meal, it was MANDATORY for the hostess to pass around a tray of fragrances for the guests to use. After the tray of fragrances came the Oud chips, and they would smoke themselves and their hair to envelope the perfumes and to layer up their scent. Anecdotally, for the speakers of Arabic in this forum, apparently there is an adage that goes like this: من بعد ال عود ما في قعود "After the oud, there is no staying." The Oud, culturally, was THE grand finale after a lavish dinner. It was THE night cap. It was THE perfect note to end the night on. How absolutely wonderful and marvelous that is. Can you imagine ending a dinner party here in the US or in Europe by passing around fragrances and Oud?
My early adulthood was spent here in the US and it was uneventful, scent-wise. The Americans do not share the deep passion for fragrance like Grasse and the GCC cultures do. I was mostly focused on my studies and getting a career started (which I am still working on, haha). I did, however, spend many summers going back to Grasse and the French Riviera where my family still resides. That is when I started coming in contact with the GCC royalties who themselves summer in the South of France. And when I say royalties, I mean the likes of Al Saud, Al Maktoum, Al Nahyan, Al Thani etc... Like clockwork, every July and August, an ARMY of wealth from the GCC disembarks in Cannes and Monaco with their Bugattis, Lamborghinis, Ferraris. Walking in Cannes in July/August is just like walking in Abu Dhabi or Dubai - rich Arabs everywhere. I became mesmerized by their exposition of wealth and above all, their Oud. I chased them down the streets just to smell them. Talk about sillage; talk about projection. It is unbelievable - you can smell them from 10 meters away. Thus began my quest to acquire some Oud oil. I purchased from the ME Houses (ASAQ, Ajmal, AO) with the goal of finding Oud with biggest sillage. Something to wow away not only myself, but everyone within a 5-meter radius of me. You see, it was not about me enjoying the Oud as much as it was impressing those around me. How arrogant and attention-seeking of me.
Having been disappointed by the ME Houses, about a year ago I stumbled upon artisanal Oud, and specifically, Ensar's Ouds. My first reaction was "Yeah right, these people are crazy. No way am I spending so much for so little." At the time, in my mind, what Ensar was selling was just a product. His was solely a commercial enterprise. Boy was I mistaken. In a very short amount of time, I have had the privilege of sampling an array oils: Jing Shen Lu, Xiang Liao Ling, Green Papua, Royale 1985, Royale No 5, Sultan Rose, Dhul Q, Imperial Oud's Kushiara and someone's private blend of Maroke oils. I have been blown away at every turn. Everything I thought I knew and wanted has been obliterated.
Artisanal Oud is not boastful, it is not loud. It is a very deeply personal experience that speaks to one's inner core. It is not about sillage or projection. It is not about getting others envious of your scent. Next summer when I am in Cannes, I will see the Royals parading through the streets and I will smile. I will smile because of my personal growth and my transformation. Such is the power of artisanal Oud. It has brought me full circle to my Grasse days when I admired the Rose, Jasmine and Lavender. Now I also admire Oud and the effect it has on me and my psyche. When I want to feel mysterious and elusive, I will wear Dhul Q. When I want to feel uplifted and light, I will wear something Green. When I want to feel cheerful and happy, I will wear Sultan Rose. When I want to focus, I will wear an earthy Maroke.
Thank you for this gift, thank you for grounding me, and thank you for bringing me full circle.
End rant.
