When I imported Agarwood ACEH oil earlier this year, I declared this to be the year of oud dabbling at EOA. Six months in, I’m knee deep and in running a substantial tab with my Indonesian partners. My mission is to offer more agarwood varietals and their mission is to make me “Queen of Oud” (their words). I received a sample of Lombok when ACEH arrived and oh did it rock my world, rattle my cage, leave me shook. It was like when I brought in Blue Lotus absolute for the first time; I dreampt of it, thought about it a lot and tried to imagine our perfumer customers experience once it started arriving in their hands. Lombok is rare and comes from an island adjacent to Bali. Collection of the wood is about a seven hour walk in the Atlas jungle. It’s these jungle notes that carry through the oil and make it the exquisite, caramel, deep wet wood notes it is. Lombok is the quintisential luxury in an agarwood.
Suggested use: Pure luxury when worn alone with the expectation of it lingering several hours. Will add depth and dirge like quality to a perfume composition.
dwoodburd (verified owner) –
This is really, really special. Something incense-y and rich and timeless in a way that only true, quality ouds can be. My first agarwood experience was the exquisitely smoky, leathery, horse barn noted wild Cambodian previously available here– which I was (am still) super imprinted on, and didn’t think I could love anything else quite as much. This, however– like any oud– is an exceedingly unique product of its environment (often a single tree at a particular place in a jungle), and demands to be admired for its singular character entirely within its own context. In this case that context is a wet cloud forest on the side of a rather tall volcano towering over a comparatively dry island right at the boundary between Austronesia and Southeast Asia, and between the shallower Java sea and deeper Indian ocean. Geographically really interesting, and of course with very unique terroir at the crossroads of so many distinct influences. For me, in the aromatic profile of the oil itself, this translates to an exceedingly well balanced, rich, plush, understatedly sweet and complex woody caramel. It does unequivocally speak to me of luxury, and of true power and gratification. There is nothing overly sweet or cloying, just enduring incense-y smoothness and delicious caramelly warmth. Instead of any barn or skank is simply the joyful wetness of tropical rain on foliage, dripping down onto rich soil full of gloriously decomposing wood and leaves being converted into new life. I love wearing it on its own, and distinctly feel the gentle warmth, calmness of mind, and strength of projection that quality ouds are said to bring. On the occasion when I feel it needs to be elaborated into a blend, I find that some form of musk (either ambrette, true musk tincture, or an accord of your own design), a smidge of patchouli (Indonesian absolute), rose otto (Greek, especially), and Egyptian violet leaf concrete (<3) are gorgeous companions that highlight its excellence without overwhelming its extraordinary subtle beauty and excellence of craft. So much love and appreciation… thank you for making these beautiful things available! . 🙂 <3