Oud

Oud is created from agarwood trees which are primarily found in Southeast Asia, most commonly in India and Sri Lanka. Oud oil is the resin distillate produced by agarwood trees, which are a type of evergreen tree. Oud is very rare, as only a small portion of Aquilaria trees actually produce agarwood/oud. When the oil from agarwood has aged, it becomes intensely fragrant and aromatic. Oud oil smells differently depending on its age and the region it was derived from. Due to the popularity of oud oil in fragrances, the Aquilaria tree moved from a ‘‘vulnerable’ to a ‘critically endangered’ species according to the ICUN in 2018. In order to protect the Aquilaria species, Asian countries have shifted to the mass plantation of Aquilaria trees to sustainably obtain agarwood to produce oud.