Thanks ibn for the reference to QT. In the past I have been less than happy with my purchases from there due to the lack of quality but I see he has changed the look of the web site and now there is a ton of different origin Agarwood chips in there for sale. Has anyone ordered any woods from there lately?
What's on your burner today?
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@Oudiferous: Laos wood ? ... you are such a tease !
@Masstika: thanks - I know about this source but the prices are high compared to what I payed ...
QT ?
I haven't purchased recently, but there isn't much risk in picking up some sandalwood sticks to try out. I may order some myself soon.
I have had some nice oils from him in the past and also some ok ones. I still have a smear or two of something he sold a few years ago as a '75 Hindi which was probably authentic, judging from the smell. Very mature Hindi oud is in a class of its own. I also had some sandalwood oil from him a few years ago that was about as good as any I've had since, from anywhere. And I also had a Cambodi Qadim from him a while back that was quite nice too, though a little smokey, which I kinda like when I'm in the right mood. And I have had a Laos DS from him which is ok. To summarize, my experience in the past with QT has been ok.
Correction ... I just checked ... the '75 is a Cambodian, the Hindi is a '82. He used to have a number of oils which weren't listed in his store. Ask and he'll send you a list. I don't know what the situation is like now ... best to sample first.
F
I purchased some Sandalwood oil from him a couple of weeks back... Super Fine Mysore 3ml for $60 and Wild Royal Indonesian Finest Sandalwood 12ml for $100 and it looks OK. However, I would not trust what they sell 100% like I would with say Ensar Oud or Agar Aura, for three reasons.
Firstly, because they seem to have lots of extremely rare scents like Mysore sandalwood and musk which is very hard to find on the net if not impossible and very, very expensive, although QT are selling them relatively cheap. I searched for Mysore sandalwood online for almost a month but only found Profumo selling it for €123 per gram and it was sold out everywhere else... QT on the other hand seems to have lots of it to sell. Still when it arrived I compared it to Profumo's offering and it smelt very similar, but not as strong. My subjective opinion is that it is either Santalum Album from Tamil Nadu or Sri Lanka, or adulterated Mysore. Of course it could be genuine, but I find that highly unlikely given the price and the rarity of the oil.
Secondly, because of some damning reviews including one on this forum who said that they received charcoal instead of musk grains. I questioned Ham Firl - or his son - about the online reviews and he just dismissed them as nonsense without a convincing reason as to why he thought the negative reviews were not valid.
Thirdly because I had a lengthy chat over the phone with him a few weeks ago - or an assistant - and while he came across as a very pleasant and genuine seller and I would not suspect him of duping his customers for a second, he did seem to be just that - a seller. It is just a business to him and he passes on what he gets from other sources without being too concerned with making sure 100% that his wares are beyond reproach or doubt.
Of course the above reasons are my perception and may be wrong, but that is my assessment and I am careful where I spend my money. If I do buy from sellers like QT, it is only to baseline and calibrate my sense of smell and experience.
The problem with sellers is - online or in person - that everything really does depend upon taking the seller's word for purity and my (cynical) opinion is that everything rare is adulterated unless I have 100% proof that it is not.
Firstly, because they seem to have lots of extremely rare scents like Mysore sandalwood and musk which is very hard to find on the net if not impossible and very, very expensive, although QT are selling them relatively cheap. I searched for Mysore sandalwood online for almost a month but only found Profumo selling it for €123 per gram and it was sold out everywhere else... QT on the other hand seems to have lots of it to sell. Still when it arrived I compared it to Profumo's offering and it smelt very similar, but not as strong. My subjective opinion is that it is either Santalum Album from Tamil Nadu or Sri Lanka, or adulterated Mysore. Of course it could be genuine, but I find that highly unlikely given the price and the rarity of the oil.
Secondly, because of some damning reviews including one on this forum who said that they received charcoal instead of musk grains. I questioned Ham Firl - or his son - about the online reviews and he just dismissed them as nonsense without a convincing reason as to why he thought the negative reviews were not valid.
Thirdly because I had a lengthy chat over the phone with him a few weeks ago - or an assistant - and while he came across as a very pleasant and genuine seller and I would not suspect him of duping his customers for a second, he did seem to be just that - a seller. It is just a business to him and he passes on what he gets from other sources without being too concerned with making sure 100% that his wares are beyond reproach or doubt.
Of course the above reasons are my perception and may be wrong, but that is my assessment and I am careful where I spend my money. If I do buy from sellers like QT, it is only to baseline and calibrate my sense of smell and experience.
The problem with sellers is - online or in person - that everything really does depend upon taking the seller's word for purity and my (cynical) opinion is that everything rare is adulterated unless I have 100% proof that it is not.
QT is not selling sandalwood oil relatively cheaply. There is a lot of marking up of prices going on throughout this business. For example, check out these prices: RKsons sandalwood oil RKsons sandalwood oils tend to be pretty 'fresh', without the sophistication and maturity of aged oil, but the samples I've received smell genuine and have the trademark vibe of other Mysore oils I've had from at least 3 different reliable vendors (Aromatics International, Scents-of-Earth, and QT). Full disclosure - I'm not an expert and don't have any GCMS equipment, but AI have published GCMS data on their Mysore oil.
Personally, I'm ok with sellers making a profit on their merchandise. They have to make a living like (most) everyone else, provide a valuable service and deserve compensation. The are not providing a public service, they are running a business. It is in their own interest to be fair and honest with their customers.
As far as I can tell, there is a lot of fear, uncertainty and doubt being spread by many. You should consider who benefits from this attitude.
Musk is a difficult subject to discuss due to the problems associated with its production. I was curious about QTs musk grains some years ago and purchased a sample. It was NOT charcoal and did smell like an authentic, if mediocre, musk. I've had it infusing in sandalwood oil for about 8 years and its ok, nothing to write home about. Sharif's Kashmiri kasthuri superior is much better.
I'm with Mr. P - I'll take my chances and develop relationships with affordable honest vendors as I go.
My experience with QT has been ok and yes, Ensar's stuff is very nice and very pricey ! If I could afford it, I would own a tola of each oil Ensar sells, together with a tola of ASAQ 50 year old Kalakassi, a tola of ASAQ Thaqeel, a tola of AO King Fahad and a tola of AO Ward Taifi.
Oh, don't forget the 30ml bottles of Amouage Tribute and Homage too
Personally, I'm ok with sellers making a profit on their merchandise. They have to make a living like (most) everyone else, provide a valuable service and deserve compensation. The are not providing a public service, they are running a business. It is in their own interest to be fair and honest with their customers.
As far as I can tell, there is a lot of fear, uncertainty and doubt being spread by many. You should consider who benefits from this attitude.
Musk is a difficult subject to discuss due to the problems associated with its production. I was curious about QTs musk grains some years ago and purchased a sample. It was NOT charcoal and did smell like an authentic, if mediocre, musk. I've had it infusing in sandalwood oil for about 8 years and its ok, nothing to write home about. Sharif's Kashmiri kasthuri superior is much better.
I'm with Mr. P - I'll take my chances and develop relationships with affordable honest vendors as I go.
My experience with QT has been ok and yes, Ensar's stuff is very nice and very pricey ! If I could afford it, I would own a tola of each oil Ensar sells, together with a tola of ASAQ 50 year old Kalakassi, a tola of ASAQ Thaqeel, a tola of AO King Fahad and a tola of AO Ward Taifi.
Oh, don't forget the 30ml bottles of Amouage Tribute and Homage too
Has anyone tried these Vietnamese chips from QT ?
I am looking for the basic incense utensils: a pair of tweezers and a small spoon for working with my wood and ash. Essenceoftheages has had this combo item in the past but not at this time. Does anyone know another place i can purchase before I wind up at a medical supply house and purchase some steel instruments there to do the job.
F
You may be right there, but I am speaking from my own personal experience. After searching online for one month I could only find a couple of very expensive suppliers of Mysore sandalwood. In my mind, expensive prices do not necessarily equate to the genuine article, but I feel that cheap prices generally do point to some form of corruption in the purity of the oil. This view is naive in some respects, as you have pointed out that a lot of marking up does occur and I learn more about this industry everyday even though I have been buying oils for the past 6 years.
The prices look very competitive, but the sceptic in me is wondering about the GCMS test as I have read many articles on how skilled the debasement process is, to the extent that even a GCMS cannot pick it up! If the oil from the essential oils company is really pure, then it is an absolute steal at the prices they are asking for. I am just so anal about getting authentic oil, that I would be willing to travel to India to take a look at their company, before I bought any substantial amount from them. The problem is that I don't trust my nose either as Oud oils that I have been assured are pure and that I have thought, smelt right, have broken down into a chemical mess after 2 years.
I agree that this should be the case. However with the amount of adulteration that goes on in the industry, unfortunately I just don't think this is the case with many sellers.
Thanks for the great reference, I think I will give that musk a try!
Agreed. That is exactly how I proceed with my purchases.
The prices look very competitive, but the sceptic in me is wondering about the GCMS test as I have read many articles on how skilled the debasement process is, to the extent that even a GCMS cannot pick it up! If the oil from the essential oils company is really pure, then it is an absolute steal at the prices they are asking for. I am just so anal about getting authentic oil, that I would be willing to travel to India to take a look at their company, before I bought any substantial amount from them. The problem is that I don't trust my nose either as Oud oils that I have been assured are pure and that I have thought, smelt right, have broken down into a chemical mess after 2 years.
I agree that this should be the case. However with the amount of adulteration that goes on in the industry, unfortunately I just don't think this is the case with many sellers.
Thanks for the great reference, I think I will give that musk a try!
Agreed. That is exactly how I proceed with my purchases.
I'm with you, Floraopia. I prefer to stick my trusted vendors (which are small in number). While it is unfair to say that cheap prices for a rare oil indicates an adulterated product, I think it is fair to say that a cheap price tag on a rare oil is enough to raise my skepticism. I look for various things beyond the price tag, however. If the vendor cannot describe the oil with much detail, or give much background as to its origin, or anything else, and just lists it very generically, then I tend to err on the side of caution. I cannot fully trust my nose with some oils to know for sure, as you described, and that is why I feel that it is essential to develop a relationship of trust with specific vendors. Oud is a slightly different story, in that I find it very easy to pick out a fake or less than pure oil. I personally keep my Oud purchases between Ensar Oud and Agar Aura, end of story.
I've tried Sharif's Kashmiri Musk. It's a nice musk, but again, I wouldn't be able to tell if it is pure deer musk or not (most likely not).
I've tried Sharif's Kashmiri Musk. It's a nice musk, but again, I wouldn't be able to tell if it is pure deer musk or not (most likely not).
You are missing out on a lot of nice oud oils Oudiferous, but I bet you get a lot of free samples. Your reviews are poetic
Which Kashmiri Kasthuri did you try ? Last time I checked there were at least 3. When people start throwing around the 'P' word in connection with musk, it makes
me feel like having some fun. Really, the only thing that is 'pure' musk is the contents of the musk gland of the musk deer. You wouldn't want to rub some on your wrist
All musks are diluted for use, either in oil or alcohol. Its very hard to fool someone with a synthetic musk base into thinking it is real musk. I've never seen anyone try to do it.
Even within the category of so called 'pure' musk attars or tinctures, there is a great deal of variance in scent. Each one is different - the differences depend on the diet of the deer, its locale, age, time that the musk pod was taken or found, sub-species and many other things. These distinctions are far more important to people who know about musk than this elusive term 'pure'. If you want to try a nice musk attar, try Sharif's Musk Sharif. It smells like a nice Kashmiri Kasthuri with a little rose to balance the animalic side of the musk.
Now lets look at the 'P' word in the context of oud oils. I've very rarely run into an adulterated oud oil. I've run into a few which might have been cut a little with sandalwood but I've never run into one that has any synthetic oud chemicals added. Like musk, the perceived quality of oud depends very much on many factors other than so called purity. When I decide to purchase an oud, it is because I like the smell of it, its sillage, its lasting power, the way it modifies my state of mind, and many other factors. I don't look at an oil and say this one is pure so I like it and this one isn't pure so I can't like it. Purity has little to do with it.
Most vendors who wave around the 'P' word and insinuate that other vendor's products may not be 'pure' are trying to sell a concept, not a product. The product may or may not be nice, but when I hear the 'P' word, I hear a marketing campaign.
In some cases, like Ensar, the purity of his product is a side effect of his artisanal approach to producing oils, but its the meticulous and discerning care he apparently takes with his products, not their purity, which distinguishes them. I don't know about Agar Aura but I have no reason to doubt that they have nice oils too.
Which Kashmiri Kasthuri did you try ? Last time I checked there were at least 3. When people start throwing around the 'P' word in connection with musk, it makes
me feel like having some fun. Really, the only thing that is 'pure' musk is the contents of the musk gland of the musk deer. You wouldn't want to rub some on your wrist
All musks are diluted for use, either in oil or alcohol. Its very hard to fool someone with a synthetic musk base into thinking it is real musk. I've never seen anyone try to do it.
Even within the category of so called 'pure' musk attars or tinctures, there is a great deal of variance in scent. Each one is different - the differences depend on the diet of the deer, its locale, age, time that the musk pod was taken or found, sub-species and many other things. These distinctions are far more important to people who know about musk than this elusive term 'pure'. If you want to try a nice musk attar, try Sharif's Musk Sharif. It smells like a nice Kashmiri Kasthuri with a little rose to balance the animalic side of the musk.
Now lets look at the 'P' word in the context of oud oils. I've very rarely run into an adulterated oud oil. I've run into a few which might have been cut a little with sandalwood but I've never run into one that has any synthetic oud chemicals added. Like musk, the perceived quality of oud depends very much on many factors other than so called purity. When I decide to purchase an oud, it is because I like the smell of it, its sillage, its lasting power, the way it modifies my state of mind, and many other factors. I don't look at an oil and say this one is pure so I like it and this one isn't pure so I can't like it. Purity has little to do with it.
Most vendors who wave around the 'P' word and insinuate that other vendor's products may not be 'pure' are trying to sell a concept, not a product. The product may or may not be nice, but when I hear the 'P' word, I hear a marketing campaign.
In some cases, like Ensar, the purity of his product is a side effect of his artisanal approach to producing oils, but its the meticulous and discerning care he apparently takes with his products, not their purity, which distinguishes them. I don't know about Agar Aura but I have no reason to doubt that they have nice oils too.
I think commercial vendors of products like these have more to loose than gain by adulterating their products. They are in business to meet volume requirements of large companies, not to defraud individuals like you or me with few bottles of oil. We're lucky to be able to get their attention with our purchases.
The samples I received would need aging for a few years before I could compare them to the best oils I have, but they have potential.
Do let us know what you discover !
huh?
The samples I received would need aging for a few years before I could compare them to the best oils I have, but they have potential.
Do let us know what you discover !
huh?
F
I think we both have the same approach to buying Oud and rare scents in general, although you expressed yourself better than me! I definitely look at various factors such as my sense of smell - very unreliable -, the approach of the vendor, the details of the product, anecdotal evidence - e.g. online reviews, or personal recommendations - and I also err on the side of caution as I do not want to put DOP and other chemicals on my skin unwittingly and also do not want to spend money on something that is not the genuine article!
F
You represent an optimistic view of the state of the industry and my view is the opposite in some respects!
Its true! I have bought Oud from ASAQ and AO in Saudi Arabia where I currently work and two years on, the Ouds have developed a nasty chemical smell that none of the others have from Oriscent. It isn't as if I bought the cheapest Oud in the shop either, but in fact the opposite, as I asked the assistant for the very best they had and paid about SR900 for 1/4 tola - about £150 or $240. There was also someone in the UK who sold me a 'Cambodi' oud for £50 (about $80) and I ignored the low price as he told me that he had bought 'directly from the source'. It smelt nice and sweet so I bought it and four years on, it has developed some notes that I can only describe as sour and nasty, while the sweetness has rapidly receded into the background.
I am quite a stickler for purity as I just cannot stand synthetic scents and for this reason, I never ever used scent before I discovered pure, high quality oils such as Rose, Oud and musk from vendors like Oriscent, Silk Road Ends and Uns 7 years ago. I discovered Taha from Agar Aura through this - and other - forums and added him to my very short personal list of 'approved and trusted vendors' after ordering some Oud Kampuchea from him. I actually ordered some Montale samples in 2006 just to compare as I had no idea about Oud then and I was so repulsed by the smell that I literally had to wrap them in several layers of plastic bags and eventually threw them away.
Its true! I have bought Oud from ASAQ and AO in Saudi Arabia where I currently work and two years on, the Ouds have developed a nasty chemical smell that none of the others have from Oriscent. It isn't as if I bought the cheapest Oud in the shop either, but in fact the opposite, as I asked the assistant for the very best they had and paid about SR900 for 1/4 tola - about £150 or $240. There was also someone in the UK who sold me a 'Cambodi' oud for £50 (about $80) and I ignored the low price as he told me that he had bought 'directly from the source'. It smelt nice and sweet so I bought it and four years on, it has developed some notes that I can only describe as sour and nasty, while the sweetness has rapidly receded into the background.
I am quite a stickler for purity as I just cannot stand synthetic scents and for this reason, I never ever used scent before I discovered pure, high quality oils such as Rose, Oud and musk from vendors like Oriscent, Silk Road Ends and Uns 7 years ago. I discovered Taha from Agar Aura through this - and other - forums and added him to my very short personal list of 'approved and trusted vendors' after ordering some Oud Kampuchea from him. I actually ordered some Montale samples in 2006 just to compare as I had no idea about Oud then and I was so repulsed by the smell that I literally had to wrap them in several layers of plastic bags and eventually threw them away.
I am sorry to hear of your unfortunate experience with ASAQ and AO. Did the product come in an original sealed package ?
As far as Montale goes, you shouldn't expect to find an alcohol based authentic good oud. Alcohol is haraam.
Would it be imposing on you to check, the next time you are near an AO store, on the price of 1/4 tola of King Fahad ?
As far as Montale goes, you shouldn't expect to find an alcohol based authentic good oud. Alcohol is haraam.
Would it be imposing on you to check, the next time you are near an AO store, on the price of 1/4 tola of King Fahad ?
I'd have to say that most likely that 99% of the Mysore sandalwood out there is adulterated or from a different region all together. My understanding is that the Indian Government owns all the Mysore Sandalwood trees even if it is located on a private property. Logs are sold twice a year in Auction, so most merchant try to score as much as they can but you can imagine the types of monopoly and control that goes behind the scene. Trygve of Enfleurage Chronicles her trials trying to score pure Mysore Sandalwood in India in her Blog; it is a must read that will really change your minds about how things are produced and what goes in the mind of producers. http://www.absolutetrygve.com/2010/02/holy-grail.html
Adulteration doesn't have to be with synthetics, Oud is cut and extended with Nagrmoth. I think the issue here is honesty and truth in Advertising. So when the advertising camping say there is roses in the mix I expect it to have real roses not some synthetic compound. The other point I think is misunderstanding; for example when vendors refer to musk especially in the Indian tradition it is rather a mix that is warm and sensual as when they say Amber it is not the actual Resin Amber but rather a mix of E.O. that has a soft "Amber" like smell. Pure Musk smells like the underside of an animal (if you grew around farm animals you'll know what I mean). Sherif's Musks (I have tried all three) are nice mixes but I would not say that they represent the smell of deer musk.
Unfortunately, in the Middle East and in Saudi in particular the issue of purity in oil is not paramount but rather it's the smell they are after. I have seen very very few people quizzing the salespersons about the oils in the Oud stores that I have been to.
One last item that i have noticed from few is the tendency to play it safe...where is your sense of Adventure. I don't mind taking chances here and there otherwise how can one expand their knowledge and experience if you stick to the same vendors all the time. Those highly esteemed vendors are the standard by which one can judge the others but that should not stop you from once in a while venturing to the unknown. With regard to the issue of Alcohol in perfume being Haram or sinful for Muslims, I think there is more to it but I am sure if this is the right place for it's discussion, however for those interested in knowing more you can check the following: http://islamqa.com/en/ref/1365/alcohol%20in%20perfume
Adulteration doesn't have to be with synthetics, Oud is cut and extended with Nagrmoth. I think the issue here is honesty and truth in Advertising. So when the advertising camping say there is roses in the mix I expect it to have real roses not some synthetic compound. The other point I think is misunderstanding; for example when vendors refer to musk especially in the Indian tradition it is rather a mix that is warm and sensual as when they say Amber it is not the actual Resin Amber but rather a mix of E.O. that has a soft "Amber" like smell. Pure Musk smells like the underside of an animal (if you grew around farm animals you'll know what I mean
). Sherif's Musks (I have tried all three) are nice mixes but I would not say that they represent the smell of deer musk. Unfortunately, in the Middle East and in Saudi in particular the issue of purity in oil is not paramount but rather it's the smell they are after. I have seen very very few people quizzing the salespersons about the oils in the Oud stores that I have been to.
One last item that i have noticed from few is the tendency to play it safe...where is your sense of Adventure. I don't mind taking chances here and there otherwise how can one expand their knowledge and experience if you stick to the same vendors all the time. Those highly esteemed vendors are the standard by which one can judge the others but that should not stop you from once in a while venturing to the unknown. With regard to the issue of Alcohol in perfume being Haram or sinful for Muslims, I think there is more to it but I am sure if this is the right place for it's discussion, however for those interested in knowing more you can check the following: http://islamqa.com/en/ref/1365/alcohol%20in%20perfume
Masstika, would you please show us your evidence that 99% of the mysore sandalwood oil out there is adulterated ? Do you know this for a fact or is it an assumption based on the reasoning you presented above ?
On the subject of the Indian government, you probably know that corruption is a big problem in India. I would not assume that because the government has a so called monopoly on the trees that they control the market for sandalwood or sandalwood oil. For example, read this article. This article is also interesting.
Regarding nagrmoth, it does not smell like oud. I have a small jar of it at my nose as i write Maybe you could put a little in a hindi oud, but not a borneo or malaysian.
I agree with you about the hindi approach to musk based mukhallets but it is obvious to me when I smell one whether it is something done with the intent to make a nice smelling musk mix or whether it is an unadulterated musk. For example, Sharif's kashmiri kasturi ultimate is clearly a musk without other aromatic compounds or oils added, apart from sandalwood whereas his musk sharif is clearly the work of a perfumer blending musk and rose and perhaps other aromatic oils to create a work of art.
Pure musk may smell like the underside of an animal, but diluted it takes on an entirely different scent profile, so when I smell a musk I do not decide whether it is true or not based on whether it smells like the underside of an animal.
I do think it is likely that wood from Tamil Nadu may be used by some vendors of 'mysore' sandalwood. When I purchased my first small bottle from Aromatics International some years ago, it was from a batch that the owner had personally acquired at the karnataka factory, IIRC and came with GCMS data, as many of their products do. It is no longer available unfortunately.
On the subject of the Indian government, you probably know that corruption is a big problem in India. I would not assume that because the government has a so called monopoly on the trees that they control the market for sandalwood or sandalwood oil. For example, read this article. This article is also interesting.
Regarding nagrmoth, it does not smell like oud. I have a small jar of it at my nose as i write
Maybe you could put a little in a hindi oud, but not a borneo or malaysian.I agree with you about the hindi approach to musk based mukhallets but it is obvious to me when I smell one whether it is something done with the intent to make a nice smelling musk mix or whether it is an unadulterated musk. For example, Sharif's kashmiri kasturi ultimate is clearly a musk without other aromatic compounds or oils added, apart from sandalwood whereas his musk sharif is clearly the work of a perfumer blending musk and rose and perhaps other aromatic oils to create a work of art.
Pure musk may smell like the underside of an animal, but diluted it takes on an entirely different scent profile, so when I smell a musk I do not decide whether it is true or not based on whether it smells like the underside of an animal.
I do think it is likely that wood from Tamil Nadu may be used by some vendors of 'mysore' sandalwood. When I purchased my first small bottle from Aromatics International some years ago, it was from a batch that the owner had personally acquired at the karnataka factory, IIRC and came with GCMS data, as many of their products do. It is no longer available unfortunately.
Here is another interesting article relevant to the mysore sandalwood business. Veerappan smuggled an estimated 10,000 tons of sandalwood worth $USD 22 Million.
I am not sure if the question is rhetorical but in case it's not I would present as my evidence the hundred if not thousands of testimonies from people in the field whether vendors, distillers or buyers that testifies to that fact. Granted that it might not be 99% but the chances of you buying an adulterated Mysore Sandalwood oil is a lot higher than say 50/50. Just take a look at e-bay or AliBaba and if you do the quick math you'll find that it is impossible that all that is being offered in the market is genuine Mysore Sandalwood. There is also plenty of reports by CITES regarding the illicit trade in Mysore Sandalwood especially to China. IMHO, short of getting a sealed bottle from the Karantaka factory or from your most trusted vendor who bought it from a very honest distiller who somehow managed to buy it in the auction or somehow got it from the"back door" and even then one can not be 100% sure.
http://www.toboc.com/tradenews/Rising-Sandalwood-Demand-In-China-Triggers-Illegal-Trade/1308.aspx
http://www.toboc.com/tradenews/Rising-Sandalwood-Demand-In-China-Triggers-Illegal-Trade/1308.aspx
Dear Masstika, in life only two things are 100% sure - taxes and our own death ... wait, I just thought of a third: the ever increasing price of good oud oil !
And finally, I agree with you that some 'mysore' sandalwood oil on the market is not genuine, but as a point of logic, it is unreasonable to try to defend the assertion that 99%, or most, or (it seems now) 50% of the oils advertised as mysore sandalwood are not genuine by arguing that NOT ALL oils advertised as mysore sandalwood are genuine.
And finally, I agree with you that some 'mysore' sandalwood oil on the market is not genuine, but as a point of logic, it is unreasonable to try to defend the assertion that 99%, or most, or (it seems now) 50% of the oils advertised as mysore sandalwood are not genuine by arguing that NOT ALL oils advertised as mysore sandalwood are genuine.