It’s tough to convey with words exactly how it smells because sometimes there is literally nothing else on earth to compare them too but I will do my best! The wood itself is rich with oil and resins that were created as a form of defence by the Aquilaria tree against a fungus. There are more than 100 compounds that can make up the scent.
Scent will vary depending on:
Region / species
Wild / cultivated wood
Age of infection
Area of infection
Most Agarwood will be sweet to some extent, some very sweet, in others you may only notice slight sweetness later on during the session. If your into sweetness pick some cultivated or organic Vietnamese, thai, Indian (Hindi). Some Cambodian (depending on region) can be overtly sweet. But sweetness isn’t everything! Papua and some Borneo can be mushroom like or a complex ‘jungle scent’. Others like some Sri Lanka can be oceanic blue scent. I’m a big fan of Borneo, Kalimantan, Tarakan and a whole host of Indonesian islands which are complex and more serious. Sarawak can be floral. Wood from these regions, also Cambodia or Philippines can have some incredible scents that is just inexplicable because there is simply nothing to compare them with.
One thing that is true across the board is that cultivated or farmed Agarwood just isn’t the same as wild. They all smell great and if you haven’t tried Oud wood before, cultivated Agarwood will knock you back with amazement! They’re just a little ‘one dimensional’ and straightforward. One of my favourite ‘go to’ agarwoods for new comers is Vietnamese Organic Ant Nest. It’s a beautiful sweet, powdery vanilla fragrance that will wow anyone!
I hope this blog has given you some insight into the aroma of Agarwood. The best way to get knowledgeable on this magnificent aromatic is to sample as much as you can. Even 1 gram is enough for many sessions! Oli