Hey all, so just had I experience which reminded me of the importance of what
@Oudamberlove spoke of previously in the 'knowledge for Oud Novice' thread, that an oud journey must have highs and lows, and that if walking along the 'good oud path' one's journey isn't complete.
This reigns true for much of life, as the times of turmoil and difficulty can be used to enhance and appreciate the times of calm and ease. And so too can generic 'ouds' be used to enhance the experience of genuine artisanal oud oils.
I appreciate the gesture of the samples as the exposure adds to my experience, which follows: initially after a single whiff from the bottles I dismissed them as synthetic or some kind of isolate and normally I wouldn't even put them on my skin.
But for the sake of experience I decided to try each of them and with a couple, fleeting notes of oud were actually present, however they are solitary notes and far from the depth and complexity of genuine artisanal oud oil.
The 'sandalwood' smells nothing like sandalwood but instead like a tropical ointment, with a coconut sunscreen profile. I've experienced that before with 'sandalwood' and believe it's their attempt to capture the buttery creaminess of actual sandalwood.
'Mumtaz oud,' attempts to capture the peppercorn liquor peatiness of fermented Cambodian oud, but instead comes across like pure cresol, reminiscent of bandaids.
The 'Cambodian Oud' exhibits some similarity to Pursat oud, known for its sweet fruity profile but in a heavily oxidized form with only traces of the profile remaining with cloying attributes that linger.
The 'White Oud' may well be the 'sandalwood' mixed with whatever cresol is in the 'Mumtaz oud' or perhaps the 'Indian Oud' which actually exudes a note more prominent in Thai ouds, and fleetingly within Indonesian profiles, rather than what Indian Ouds actually possess of terracotta earthiness, ground spices and woods, and indolic characteristics.
Unfortunately for me, my experience of synthetics and isolates goes beyond preference, I have a physical reaction, become nauseated and get a piercing headache which has ensued after my experience with the samples.
There's a degree of satisfaction that comes with authentic natural aromatics along with their intrinsic therapeutic attributes that add to their value and make the experience complete.
That satisfaction for me is absent in designer fragrances, synthetics and isolates which come across as shallow, or rather
hollow.
My next scent, local Nabulsi organic sweet almond hand soap =)