Perfume Desert Gems

How is oud perfume made?

As we’ve discussed, oud is also known as agarwood - in fact, in Arabic ‘oud’ translates to ‘wood.’ If an Aquilaria tree is infected with the fungus Phialophora parasitica, the tree will produce resin to protect its core, otherwise known as heartwood, which alters the core from a light colour to a dark amber. The heartwood is then harvested, and this is where oud oil is extracted from. It’s important to Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle that this process is done sustainably. The resinous wood is then carved out into wood chips, from which the oud oil needs to be extracted - and there are different methods to do this. Steam distillation is when steam is passed through the resinous wood to capture aromatic compounds, and this steam is then condensed to obtain oud oil. You can also use solvent to dissolve the aromatic compounds, which will leave behind oud oil once the solvent has evaporated.
It doesn’t stop there. Like all finer things in life, oud benefits from the ageing process. Once oud oil has been extracted, it is left to mature in order to intensify its aroma and enhance its quality. It’s important that oud oil is stored in a cool and dark environment, so that it can mature slowly over the course of months or years, depending on the desired result.
With the rarity of Aquilaria trees, and the intrinsic production of oud, it’s no wonder that oud costs as much as it does. But the oud scent remains a pleasant surprise, every time.