Fragrance guide
What is oud?
Oud (agarwood) is the resin-soaked heartwood of the Aquilaria tree. It forms when the tree defends itself against infection, and it smells deep, woody and smoky, often with leathery, sweet or slightly animalic facets.
Where oud comes from
Healthy Aquilaria wood is pale and almost scentless. When the tree is wounded and infected by a mould, it produces a dark aromatic resin that slowly saturates the wood. That resinous wood is oud.
Natural agarwood is rare, so most modern perfumes, including many Gulf-style Eau de Parfums, use oud accords: blends that recreate the effect with other woods, resins and aroma molecules.
What oud smells like
Expect a dry, dark wood at the core, with smoke and incense around it. Depending on the blend it can lean sweet and resinous, leathery, or rosy when paired with rose, which is a classic Gulf pairing.
How to wear oud
Start with one or two sprays on the chest or wrists rather than the neck; oud blends are usually strong and long lasting.
Oud pairs naturally with rose, amber, saffron and vanilla. If pure oud feels too intense, look for a rose-oud or amber-oud blend.
Questions
- Is oud a man's or a woman's scent?
- Neither. In the Gulf oud is worn by everyone; whether a blend feels masculine or feminine depends on what it is paired with, such as rose or leather.
- Why is real oud so expensive?
- Because natural agarwood only forms in infected trees and takes years to develop, high-grade wood and oil are scarce. Most perfumes use oud accords instead.
- Does oud last long on skin?
- Oud is a base note, so it is usually one of the longest-lasting parts of a fragrance and can often still be noticed many hours after spraying.
Updated 2026-10-20