My first Cambodi

[Philip]

Hello everyone! It seems like this week was a quiet one over here. Just wanted to check in and say hello Hope you are all doing well.

I also wanted to share with you something that I am excited about: I ordered a sample of Pursat 2005 today, and I look forward to receiving it. This will be my very first Cambodi from the artisans. I know it's hard to believe - My understanding is that a lot of people are FIRST exposed to Cambodis.

Koh Kong K, King Koh Kong, Cambodi Caramel, Kambodi Kadeem, Kambodi 76... those are all names that I have playing and replaying on a loop in my head for months and months. With Pursat 2005, I am happy to finally get a sample of a genuine Cambodi. My Ouducation is still well under way, and it puts a smile on my face.

I have completely changed my approach when encountering a new oil. Whereas in the past I used to meticulously study the write ups and reviews, I now go in with a clean slate, free of any kind of expectations. Incidentally, do you remember one of my very first posts when I was quite frustrated with the write ups? I bemoaned the fact that I could not get a clear road map/scent profile out of the descriptions. That was then, and now I have a new outlook Ouducation FTW.

Bless you all !!!

 

[kesiro]

Congratulations! The Pursat 2005 is one I do not have so I am very interested in hearing your thoughts. Combodi oils are a must for any oud collector IMO. There are quite a few differences among them but they do share some familiar characteristics. From what I have heard, the Pursat is an extremely wise choice.

 

[Taha]

No doubt, yes, Cambodian oud is arguably the most friendly and most universally loved (and you'll soon see why).
However, it also happens to be something you never really get tired of. Even when someone works their way up from the 'pleasant, nice' Cambodians and get to the higher echelon oils, one thing becomes very apparent: a solid Cambodian is an essential part of any serious oud lover's roster.

 

[Philip]

Congratulations! The Pursat 2005 is one I do not have so I am very interested in hearing your thoughts. Combodi oils are a must for any oud collector IMO. There are quite a few differences among them but they do share some familiar characteristics. From what I have heard, the Pursat is an extremely wise choice.

Thank you, sir! I will definitely share my initial impressions next week after a couple of wearings; I learned through my Ouducation that is best for me to reserve judgement or forming an opinion until spending some QT with the oil. I will not repeat the same mistake I had made with Hainan 05 and OR85. To think that I had nearly banished them

No doubt, yes, Cambodian oud is arguably the most friendly and most universally loved (and you'll soon see why).
However, it also happens to be something you never really get tired of. Even when someone works their way up from the 'pleasant, nice' Cambodians and get to the higher echelon oils, one thing becomes very apparent: a solid Cambodian is an essential part of any serious oud lover's roster.

I am excited to begin my Cambodi chapter now that I have a general understanding of Marokes, Hindis, Sinensis and Malaysians. Jazak Allah khayran ya akhina Taha.

 

[PEARL]

@OudforLife I've tried a few of the oils on your looping list including Pearlsat 2005, IMO you've made an excellent choice, looking forward to your appraisal of the oil.

 

[Oudamberlove]

O4L,
Reviews are like experiencing an oil through the One doing the review. With some doing reviews, I'll just pass on that process, but with others like Ensar, Taha, Adam, and Pearlito (just to name a few), I like to dive into their reviews, and cherish their perspectives.
Then finally, when I swipe, I experience the oil for myself.

 

[Philip]

@Oudamberlove I love what you wrote. You are so wise and eloquent I express myself better through cakes, not words. Actually, I have been toying with the idea of making a cake in the shape of a 3ml bottle. Maybe I should just stick to what I do best, baking....

 

[Gaianmind]

O4L,
Reviews are like experiencing an oil through the One doing the review. With some doing reviews, I'll just pass on that process, but with others like Ensar, Taha, Adam, and Pearlito (just to name a few), I like to dive into their reviews, and cherish their perspectives.
Then finally, when I swipe, I experience the oil for myself.

Also I will be the first to admit I've written some fantastical and abstract reviews in the past, that go from being poetic into fairytale like. Looking back there are a few I'm a bit embarrassed by lol. Now I get to know an oil really know it like wearing it over months before I attempt to voice my thoughts on it.

I think the value in reading others reviews, fantastical or not is to search out a thread of commonality for things you personally look for in an oud experience.

 

[Oudamberlove]

Also I will be the first to admit I've written some fantastical and abstract reviews in the past, that go from being poetic into fairytale like. Looking back there are a few I'm a bit embarrassed by lol. Now I get to know an oil really know it like wearing it over months before I attempt to voice my thoughts on it.

I think the value in reading others reviews, fantastical or not is to search out a thread of commonality for things you personally look for in an oud experience.

Oh yessss.........
We go through certain phases, and our reviews reflect that. First impression reviews can be quite Fantastical. Sometimes an Oud will compell you to review it with embellishments, at other times, the inspiration goes only as far as naming the notes.
Then there are Ouds that somehow don't wow you in the beginning, but end-up in the penthouse suite of your collection container

 

[5MeO]

Oh yessss.........
We go through certain phases, and our reviews reflect that. First impression reviews can be quite Fantastical. Sometimes an Oud will compell you to review it with embellishments, at other times, the inspiration goes only as far as naming the notes.
Then there are Ouds that somehow don't wow you in the beginning, but end-up in the penthouse suite of your collection container

Indeed - the Indian "zero barnyard Hindi" style oils by Taha have been like this for me - the first time I smelled Lalitya I was intrigued, but didn't necessarily like it - now it's probably top-10 favorite oils of all time..

Cambodian oud in general, I have had the opposite experience - when I first got into oud, Cambodian was my favorite - immediately likeable with the fruit and sweetness and so forth - over time Cambodian oils have become perhaps my least favorite, if I had to describe any oud as least favorite.. I still enjoy Cambodian ouds, and some of them I love, such as Kambodi 1976 and the amazing new Khmer Special K by Taha - but in general I find myself reaching for the other regions more often..

 

[PEARL]

No doubt, yes, Cambodian oud is arguably the most friendly and most universally loved (and you'll soon see why).
However, it also happens to be something you never really get tired of. Even when someone works their way up from the 'pleasant, nice' Cambodians and get to the higher echelon oils, one thing becomes very apparent: a solid Cambodian is an essential part of any serious oud lover's roster.

@5MeO I totally hear where you're coming from and I'd say I'm guilty as charged when it comes to Thai oils as probably being my least favorite region to a point. But, then I think about when someone asks the question of what's a favorite region. I realize that it's not so much the region but exposure to certain oils from a region, meaning that we shouldn't(even though I do sometimes) discount a region based on exposure to only a few examples from that region. To piggyback on what Sidi Taha pointed out, there is much diversity within a region. To use your example of Lalitya, it's a Hindi oil top to bottom but very different from Mahabali, which is quite different from Hudhayl, which is different from Yunus and so on.
Same thing with Cambodi's, there are bright, pretty and ethereal ones like Pursat 2005 and King Koh Kong, then darker, more grounded ones like Oud Dhul Kifl(which I always thought was a Cambodian until I just read that it's from Chanthaburi), then deep, rich ones like Kambodi 1976; then there's my current favorite Cambodian Ensar's K which has almost "barn" type notes but not fermented as such like a Hindi, ruggedly smooth and smoothly rugged.
Then there's a Cambodi that I've only seen mentioned twice, I haven't smelled it nor do I know of anyone outside of the artisan/team who has, I won't mention the name but will say it's a Cambodi/Malay, sinking grade co-distill from 2001, I haven't stopped thinking about it since first mention and I can only imagine that it has to be insane, fuggedaboutit!

 

[5MeO]

Yes indeed - speaking of King Koh Kong, I wore that again the other day - wow, it has aged a bit and is really wonderful, excellent warm spices in with the subdued fruit elements..

 

[kooolaid79]

Always on point @PEARL MashāAllāh!! My eyes opened to whole different level of Cambodi when I smelt the one of a kind, hands down one of the best Oudhs I have ever smelt the Royale "Kambodi 1976" It just blew my mind and the notes were from a whole different league!