"First of all, thanks for the recent package, and thank you for the two sample vials of Kupang 98 and Bliss du Boche. It was a reminiscence of my very first purchase from you, like deja vu, surreal. Even the setting was the same. I was in the office, a different office this time, but all the same, in the middle of some time consuming task requiring my attention. That was five months ago, how time flies. Had I knew then what kind of a rabbit hole, no, black hole, I was getting myself into, would I venture into it? I believe I still would. They say in the singularity of black hole time stops, it'll be perpetual now. Well, in the oud black hole, psychological time stops, unfortunately for poor souls like me the external mechanical time or electronic time just blip away.
Oh, Sidi, what can I do? You gave an offer I couldn't refuse. Both my previous ouds are rapidly diminishing, Oud Yusuf is less than half a bottle left. Now a Cambodian Ensar Oud with that price, how could I say no? True to my own made up principle of financial "prudence", every purchase I make must qualify the free shipping deal, I almost went for the whole 12g bottle, but decided I still have to explore as much variety as I can. So, Santal Royale it was, (so, did I get the last bottle?) and I have always wondered how the best Malaysian oud from the hands of the best distiller smells like. I just have to know.
Now I can say I've followed the wisdom in an old Malay "pantun":
Sudah gaharu, cendana pula;
Sudah tahu, bertanya pula?
Maybe you've already heard this pantun before. It would be the first thing to come to mind whenever people say the word "gaharu". Kids know this pantun even if they have no idea what gaharu or cendana is. I was that kid. I believe I used to think gaharu and cendana as a kind of flower or whatever I don't care. Or some food only old people eat or munch? Like the mysterious sireh leaves. Well, gaharu is agarwood, and cendana is sandalwood.
"Sudah gaharu, cendana pula" = "After agarwood, now comes sandalwood."
Don't ask me, I have no idea what that means. Maybe you know? Or Ensar knows?
"Sudah tahu, bertanya pula?" = "You knew already, is there still any need to ask?"
What?
Typically, this pantun is used when a man proposes to a lady, and she shyly replies with this pantun. But I am now thinking there is more to this pantun than just the romantic encounter of two persons wanting to get married. Reflect on this, I will.
Anyway, I still haven't said anything about the Ouds (and Sandalwoods). I do have many things to say, but inshaAllah, I'll pen them down soon.
Until next time, JazakumulLah Khayr. God bless you all. "
~Wan, Malaysia