Recommendations or advice in Kuala Lumpur

[Simla House]

Salaam and hello, fellow oudh friends,

I am a new participant to this forum, but have stumbled across this website many times to read stories and conversations.
Deep respect to you all, for your passion and wisdom in regards to this wonder of nature that has uplifted so many of us.
On a personal note, I have been collecting attar and oudh for many years while living in Mumbai.

Can anyone offer some recommendations for a one stop shop, perhaps similar to Ajmal in KL?
I realise what one might find in Bukit Bintang is not of the quality that someone like Ensar sells, but any advice would be very helpful.

Thank You in advance,

 

[kesiro]

Taha 100%. Busy guy but a wonderful and passionate person. Has some fantastic oud as well.

 

[m.arif]

I'm in KL. we can meet up if you like, and then there's Taha of course

IMO A meetup between forum members is beneficial any way you look at it.

 

[bhanny]

I'm in KL. we can meet up if you like, and then there's Taha of course

IMO A meetup between forum members is beneficial any way you look at it.

This. Exactly, and welcome!

 

[m.arif]

Besides that, the Bukit Bintang offerings you can search for Oud Line, Arabian Oud (KLCC), murooj al oud, and the shops around them. there's one in pavilion but im not sure of the name

 

[Simla House]

Thank you all so much for welcoming me, and your courteous replies.
I'm looking forward to participating in this forum.
If it was me who was coming to KL, I would certainly love to meet ustads and members of this forum who could afford the time, but in fact my co-worker is going to KL, and thus I am interested in making his life very easy by sending him to a one stop shop, as he is not knowledgable in the oudh world.
If a place such as Oudline is an easy place for him to visit, he can bring me back some things to learn from and experience.
I hope at some point in the future to embark on an "oudh-spedition" to South East Asia and the UAE, perhaps I will be lucky enough to meet some of you working or living in those regions.

Best wishes to you all.

 

[m.arif]

Oud line is quite easy. it's in bukit bintang area. arabian oud is even easier, it's in suria klcc mall. be prepared for the abundance of perfumed "oud cambodi" they will initially offer though. Ask for something better, or the best they have

 

[Simla House]

I'm leaning towards sending my co-worker to Arabian Oudh, unless I hear protests from the brotherhood of gaharu.
I'll post my findings to anyone willing to read them, when I am graced with new bottles.

Peace upon you all.

 

[Muhammad Taftazani]

i am in Yogyakarta in Java perhaps you can go visit me to see me distilling with the team .

 

[m.arif]

As Taha mentioned before, if something is claimed to be authentic cambodian oud, question it 19 times, and the 20th time consider considering it. arabian oud has a lot of "cambodian " wood on display. as for oil , well ask for their best see how it goes. never did it before though.but I did get a good look on the wood on display.this is klcc branch

 

[RobertOne]

Thank you all so much for welcoming me, and your courteous replies.
I'm looking forward to participating in this forum.
If it was me who was coming to KL, I would certainly love to meet ustads and members of this forum who could afford the time, but in fact my co-worker is going to KL, and thus I am interested in making his life very easy by sending him to a one stop shop, as he is not knowledgable in the oudh world.
If a place such as Oudline is an easy place for him to visit, he can bring me back some things to learn from and experience.
I hope at some point in the future to embark on an "oudh-spedition" to South East Asia and the UAE, perhaps I will be lucky enough to meet some of you working or living in those regions.

Best wishes to you all.

Welcome, Simla.

I have been to Arabian Oud exactly twice, once around the same time that I discovered Amouage Epic pre-IFRA in westfield, London and once after my exposure to real Oud.

I would not even bother.

Instead, consider depending on your budget ordering as many sample vials of different Ouds from as many suppliers as you can.

The shop or district where it is bought does not matter one whit, but the wood and artisans who craft it do.

Saying that, if possible you should absolutely meet Taha as he is one of the top tier artisans in Oud by popular acclaim here and m.arif who seems to know everyone and their grandmother in the region!

Bonne Chance!

 

[munir.jakhar]

Salam & Hello to all, pleased to experience to be among the experienced and seasoned Oud lovers. Thought kept reading priceless posts, to be the part would definitely enrich me.
One thing that generally perplexes me: Why Borneo and Papua are considered Oud? Being a resident in South Asia, Oud is 'Grace', while anything floral or near to being floral is 'beauty'! Oud is meant to stay Oud, and nothing else is to be meant for that. It is a general view, or can be taken it a personal one.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

 

[Simla House]

As Taha mentioned before, if something is claimed to be authentic cambodian oud, question it 19 times, and the 20th time consider considering it. arabian oud has a lot of "cambodian " wood on display. as for oil , well ask for their best see how it goes. never did it before though.but I did get a good look on the wood on display.this is klcc branch

Thanks for this advice, M.Arif.

 

[Simla House]

i am in Yogyakarta in Java perhaps you can go visit me to see me distilling with the team .

Thank you, brother.
Indeed if I make it to Java, I will certainly oblige.
Java is a place I've always wanted to visit.
I used to quite enjoy Javanese style gamelan.

 

[Simla House]

Welcome, Simla.

I have been to Arabian Oud exactly twice, once around the same time that I discovered Amouage Epic pre-IFRA in westfield, London and once after my exposure to real Oud.

I would not even bother.

Instead, consider depending on your budget ordering as many sample vials of different Ouds from as many suppliers as you can.

The shop or district where it is bought does not matter one whit, but the wood and artisans who craft it do.

Saying that, if possible you should absolutely meet Taha as he is one of the top tier artisans in Oud by popular acclaim here and m.arif who seems to know everyone and their grandmother in the region!

Bonne Chance!

Thank you for your thoughts and advice, Robert.

Honestly, I'm not expecting much from a shopping mall attar/oudh vendor, but I'm currently not staying where I can get such things easily.
I also enjoy oudh-inspired mukhallats, and the like, such as one might find at Ajmal, so in reality, this is what I'm expecting in return by sending my co-worker to a generic shop. Again, if I was visiting that region myself, I would be meeting as many of you as I could, as well as artisans.

I've been holding off too long on ordering sample vials from artisans of repute that frequent this forum, so I suppose it is high time to do so.
I've missed out on what I've been told are many fine distillations over years. My own wood supply is dwindling, and I am even running low on Kyara incense.

Thank you again to all of you that have been sending your thoughts and comments.

 

[m.arif]

One thing that generally perplexes me: Why Borneo and Papua are considered Oud? Being a resident in South Asia, Oud is 'Grace', while anything floral or near to being floral is 'beauty'! Oud is meant to stay Oud, and nothing else is to be meant for that. It is a general view, or can be taken it a personal one.

Here is where culture / personal experience and facts branch off in regards to what oud really means. Oud is meant to be oud, well agarwood is meant to be agarwood. Borneo and papua ouds are also from agarwood trees, scientifically.. If you mean the scent of generations that you've been smelling specifically and exclusively, then that's something else, and is subjective at the end of the day.

You might be surprised at how distillation techniques can fool people sometimes (like myself). I've smelled Thais that are more "hindi" than the (culturally accepted, locally) scent of "hindi".

 

[Simla House]

Welcome, Simla.

I have been to Arabian Oud exactly twice, once around the same time that I discovered Amouage Epic pre-IFRA in westfield, London and once after my exposure to real Oud.

I would not even bother.

Instead, consider depending on your budget ordering as many sample vials of different Ouds from as many suppliers as you can.

The shop or district where it is bought does not matter one whit, but the wood and artisans who craft it do.

Saying that, if possible you should absolutely meet Taha as he is one of the top tier artisans in Oud by popular acclaim here and m.arif who seems to know everyone and their grandmother in the region!

Bonne Chance!

So, my co-worker did return from Arabian Oudh in KL, and brought me back bottle of "Cambodhi" Oudh, which according to the clerk was the highest grade they sold at that location. The items listed on their website, were primarily for stores in the UAE or online sales.
That being said, it is quite a watery distillation with low sillage and lasting power, and seemed less dynamic than "Cambodhi" oudhs I had located in Mumbai previously.
My experience over the past decade or so has mostly been with attar, mukhallats, and Assamese oudh.

For a few years, I've been visiting Ensar's page and drooling over some of his distillations, and in my procrastination, have seen those distillations disappear forever.
I'm just working out what I shall place an order for at the moment, tough choices

 

[Oudamberlove]

So, my co-worker did return from Arabian Oudh in KL, and brought me back bottle of "Cambodhi" Oudh, which according to the clerk was the highest grade they sold at that location. The items listed on their website, were primarily for stores in the UAE or online sales.
That being said, it is quite a watery distillation with low sillage and lasting power, and seemed less dynamic than "Cambodhi" oudhs I had located in Mumbai previously.
My experience over the past decade or so has mostly been with attar, mukhallats, and Assamese oudh.

For a few years, I've been visiting Ensar's page and drooling over some of his distillations, and in my procrastination, have seen those distillations disappear forever.
I'm just working out what I shall place an order for at the moment, tough choices

Hi Simla House,
With respect, I recommend the Olde Oud sample pack of Ensar Oud. Those oils are all Top 10 Contenders. You will never ever find a set to match it.

 

[RobertOne]

Like I have suggested previously, go for the samples.

That way you get a kaleidoscopeic introduction into so many styles and regions without it being too heavy on the wallet.

https://ensaroud.com/product/ultimate-oud-sampler/189

https://ensaroud.com/product/olde-oud-sampler/427

Now, this one seems a tremendous bargain.

https://ensaroud.com/product/legends-sampler/385

 

[bhanny]

Hi Simla House,
With respect, I recommend the Olde Oud sample pack of Ensar Oud. Those oils are all Top 10 Contenders. You will never ever find a set to match it.

I was just reviewing that as a friend here, new to oud, purchased it. Outstanding!!! All of them really. The Ultimate Oud sampler is fantastic as well.