BLACK NAGA 2022• 100% wild Cambodian Oud • Kampot, Cambodia

• production : distilled in early December 2022 from one mature tree in the wild forest lowlands of the Kampot region of Southern Cambodia. Distilled in steel with a glass collector. Dedicated and verified artisan distiller.

• scent highlights: A rich, deep, complex, smooth, clean, gently masculine-leaning Oud. Whiskey, dark pipe tobacco, sweet brown spices, lots of dried fruit.

• scent description: This gorgeous classic Cambodian Oud opens with fine smooth malty-caramel whiskey, dark pipe tobacco, simmering cassia and nutmeg, vanilla pod, raisin, and dried apricot, overripe black cherry, apple cider, chamomile flower, and natural licorice root. It has an interesting understated mineralic and black soil note and an elegant, refined, hint of smoke. Most interestingly perhaps, fresh blueberry notes occasionally emerge in the early drydown. Even with all this complexity at the start, the top notes dance seamlessly and smoothly together. Nothing sharp or undesirable. There is only a touch of leather present in this Oud, a soft natural leather that lingers in the background and remains present through all of the drydown. With some time, this Oud relaxes into a slow sweet cruise, showcasing mainly buttery dried fruits and simmering sweet brown spices; dried apricot, a medley of raisins, dried black fig, sweet baking spices like earthy cinnamon, cassia, allspice, and nutmeg; applesauce, brown sugar and butter. The finish is sweet and smooth Oud glory that lasts and lasts.

• special notes: we think this is a special Oud that will age brilliantly. We are eager to see what happens over time.

• notes of controversy: none. No rough edges. No barn. Even the slightly-too-sharp whiskey note right out of the bottle softens within seconds. Smoke, sometimes a less desirable note for some customers, is in harmony here in the most elegant and understated way. A risk worth taking for those wary of smokier Ouds.

• species: A. crassna

Additional notes:

• When we say wild, we mean wild! All our “wild” designated agarwood and oil is from genuine 100% naturally occurring wild forest agarwood trees with no human interventions prior to harvest. Occasionally we might offer other options, but they will be clearly indicated as either “cultivated” (farmed) or “semi-wild” (agarwood growth influenced by human intervention in a natural setting). When we say wild, we mean wild!

• One tree wonders! We strongly prefer single-tree agarwood harvests and single tree Oud oil distillations. This has both environmental benefits and aesthetic benefits in terms of capturing the unique essence of a single, fully mature, agarwood tree. When this single-tree preference is not possible we strongly favour combining wood from only a few fully mature trees, of known provenance, from trusted and experienced harvesters. More and more you will see us moving toward single-tree productions. It’s part of our commitment to sustainability and the joy we take in honouring the individual aromatic “soul” of each tree we harvest.