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What white oud is

Classic oud can be dark, resinous and intensely smoky, and white oud is decidedly more wearable for those newer to the oud family. Oud is used in colognes, incense and perfumes.

The agarwood behind it

Agarwood is a resinous heartwood, and Aquilaria malaccensis is its major source. The Gyrinops tree can also produce agarwood.

Agarwood forms in the trunk and roots of trees penetrated by a beetle; the tree may then be infected by a mould and responds by producing a defensive resin. The resin increases the mass and density of the affected wood and changes its colour from a pale beige to yellow, orange, red, dark brown or black.

The aromatic qualities of agarwood are influenced by the species, geographic location, branch, trunk and root origin, length of time since infection, and methods of harvesting and processing. Since 1995 Aquilaria malaccensis, the primary source, has been listed in Appendix II of the trade convention CITES, and in 2004 all Aquilaria species were listed.

Composition of agarwood oil

More than 150 chemical compounds have been identified in agarwood oil. At least 70 of these are terpenoids in the form of sesquiterpenes and chromones, and no monoterpenes have been detected at all. Other common classes of compounds include agarofurans, cadinanes, eudesmanes, valencanes, eremophilanes, guaianes, prezizanes and vetispiranes.

Cost and adulteration

Agarwood is one of the most expensive woods in the world. In practice adulteration of the wood and oil is common, and because oud is so expensive there is a large market for diluting oud oil with patchouli or other chemical components.