The Art of Oud - Alchimie du Parfum
- Yousuf Abdulla
- Apr 8, 2021
- 5 min read
There is an Art behind luxury Olfactory sensations. An Art dating back to the pre-historic times of our Prophets. The elegance of creating such a masterpiece of scent took us on a journey far into the traditions of the Middle East. The routes of Perfumery! Where the first ever scents were created.
We bring to you a culture of Perfumery like never before. Egyptian Alchemy brought into the new age.
Timeless scents!
A luxury to behold. Rare Oud Oils. The hidden gem of Perfumery.
The Art of Tailored Oud Perfumery
The art of tailoring - Tailor's have been used since the mid-evil ages to address an individuals character, offering you a unique way to reflect you're persona through the clothes that you wear, whether that be for a special occasion or merely a reflection of who you are day to day. It is an ancient tradition, one which still carries a huge relevance in our world today..
Growing up in a household filled with ancient Arabian scents, I was always compelled by an aura, some may call it mysterious, dark and a reflection of divinity.
Imagine that you are walking into a a room full of prestigious characters, people that you have been wanting to impress for as long as you can recall. The room is filled with people that are dressed ever so elegantly. The men dressed in their tailored suits and the women dashing in silk. It's interesting as the beauty you can see in front of your eyes is not the first memory that we recall.
What is the first sensory input that our mind recollects? Scent!.
Amongst those in the room, not only are you dressed as immaculately as the others, but you also carry a scent that is a true reflection of your persona, a scent that only you can call your own. All the men and women in that room, as you walk by will remember your essence and the power that this carries is unrivalled in a world full of artificial fragrances that have now started to dominate over the once traditional market.
Our olfactory sensations play a pivitol role in memory. I am sure that we have all experienced a memory of a particular place, an event or even a person from just an aroma that has travelled into your space.
I had a vision to change the culture of perfumery so that every individual could behold a scent that only you could call your own. Ask yourself, how would that make you feel? One would dream of such a luxury. It was turning this dream into you're reality that were the building blocks of this switch in culture! The very essence of these two notions; individuality and my love for Arabian Oud perfumery were the start of Alchimie du Parfum.
What is Oud? The Journey of Artisan Perfumery!
The vision to create Artisan Perfumery in it's most exquisite form took me on an adventure, one that would change my life forever. Deep into the forests of South East Asia. A 2 year venture to source one of the world's most prestigious scents.
Oud!
This beautiful woody, sweet and charismatic scent had fascinated me throughout my childhood.
Naturally produced by the rare Aloeswood tree. Would you believe me if I told you that when this tree is damaged by natures hand it produces a fungus which after many a year forms a distinctive aromatic resin in the trees heartwood? When this distinctive part of the tree is burnt or distilled the oil collected from the Agarwood (the infected part of the Aloeswood tree) produces a truly majestic scent, the scent we now know as Oud or Oudh.
Where Is The Best Oud Found? The Journey That Shaped Alchimie du Parfum!
Travelling through regions of Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Papa New Guinea, Borneo and India allowed for my fascination of Oud to come to life. I was in touch with nature like never before and along the way I was privileged to have met some of the most prestigious Agarwood collectors one can find around the world. Just put yourself in my shoes for a moment. Clawing your way around the vast jungles where these ancient trees have been growing for centuries. There is an overwhelming feeling of appreciation for the unique scents gifted to each one of these Agarwood trees. An olfactory dream within the compounds of nature!
The Culture of Oud - South East Asia & Middle East
If you have travelled in some of the more prestigious regions of South East Asia or the Middle East, you may well have come across the scent of Oud. In these regions it is a prestigious scent. One that has been used for centuries to bestow a cultural blessing upon those who are fortunate enough to hold it in their hands. It is traditionally used as a form of healing in ceremonies that are held on particular days of the month - A form of aromatherapy to relax the minds of those that are within the circle.
"Pure Oud" as defined by the connoisseurs is difficult to find, where you may now see that many high-street brands present their products as 'Oud', very little if any actually have real Oud in their formulas.
I mean put yourself in the circle of one of these prestigious ceremonies, would you want this sacred scent to be used by the masses?
Keep in mind, Oud is for the uber-wealthy and their is a highly secretive nature around how Oud is collected and sold. The highest grades of Oud oil or it's raw Agarwood constituent are held back by the land owners and sold only to well established collectors mainly to be used in the cultural rituals that we talked about earlier in this text. What you tend to see in the global market is of the lower grades. Can you believe that even these lower grades are now sold at a price which is higher than value of gold?!
It's for this reason that real aged Agarwood or their aged Oud oils have commanded the status of "liquid gold" in the olfactory world of today! If it is sold for a price which is ambiguous. Their is likely adultery at play and the nature of this wood or it's oil is one to question.
I will soon write a blog around how to distinguish genuine aged Oud oil from it's artificial step brother.
How Is Rare Oud Sourced?
At Alchimie du Parfum, we are proud to have built strong relationships over the years with these prestigious Agarwood collectors, true connoisseurs in the Agarwood trade and also with those privileged enough to own the lands where these unique trees have been growing for centuries!
We source directly the rarest forms of Agarwood and distil these precious woods in-house using ancient techniques found only in med-evil Egypt. We can ensure that the exquisite Oud oils that we create can not be found anywhere else in the world!
Some of our collection of Agarwood has aged over 250 years! A scent so sublime, mastered by the art of Egyptian Alchemy,
Our unique pure oil blends are layered with top and mid notes from some of the most precious flowers and spices that can be sourced on our planet. All made to reflect your true essence! A scent that will be a staple piece of Art that distinguishes you from the masses..
True eloquence in scent!
Our Promise - Alchimie du Parfum
A true olfactory experience has become extremely rare. At Alchimie du Parfum we have mastered the delicate art of blending pure oils whilst allowing our rare Oud to be the centrepiece of all of our majestic scents. A gift to behold. A piece of nature to call your own.
Take a step into the world of Artisan Perfumery. A world so magnificent that you may never want to leave!
An article written by - Yousuf Abdulla
Founder of Alchimie du Parfum
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