PAHANG CHERRY SINGLE RESERVE 2023 • Single-Tree Wild Oud, Aquilaria malaccensis • Pahang Malaysia

• highlights: Creamy, dark and mysterious; featuring black cherry, apple, black pepper, vanilla, narcotic deep florals, black soil. Unique deep green color.

• material: 100% wild Aquilaria malaccensis, distillation from one single wild tree.

• production: April 2023, ultra-traditional process by a master distiller, low-temperature distilled in wood-fired copper still with glass collector. Crafted by a Malaysian third-generation true master distiller. Lab-tested for purity and authenticity.

• scent description: Creamy, narcotic, dark and mysterious; PAHANG CHERRY SINGLE RESERVE is a beautifully crafted, darkly-sweet, and smooth Oud experience right from the start, reflecting a quintessence of classical Malay oud tradition.

( Generally speaking, most Malaysian Aquilaria malaccensis distillations are soaked in water for days or weeks before distillation imparting various fermented and barn notes to the finished oil. This one is not soaked at all, and is very traditionally distilled in a wood-fired copper pot by a true master. The resulting Oud oil features essentially zero barn or fermented notes, and zero smoke, as is sometimes the result of less skilled wood-firing. )

PAHANG CHERRY SINGLE RESERVE is sweet and buoyant right from the start but with a certain dark and mysterious promise of deeper delights to come. Early notes include prominent ripe black cherry, complex and bright gourmet peppercorn, silky vanilla pod, blackest soil, and even an unexpected salty mineralic note that threads through early on. Classic Oud notes of fresh blonde tobacco and light natural leather mingle subtly and intermittently. Crisp sweet apple soon emerges, and will partner in a beautiful slow dance with the black cherry throughout the drydown. The cherry and apple will ebb and flow, but are a primary theme in this Oud. You’ll also notice an almost ineffable but omnipresent floral creaminess here reminiscent of Orris root. This is also a major theme that remains quietly present through most of the drydown. There are moments when the black soil aspect comes to full clarity, a vast temperate deciduous forest at night; dense, dewy, lush, dark and cool. Oxygen and lichens. Stillness. It will not be long, however, until warmth and light re-emerge. Allspice and port wine make brief appearances at the heart. Deep into the drydown, the finish is easy and gentle; featuring cooked apples, new wood, carpenter’s shop, overripe cherry, more black pepper, and that abiding sultry creaminess.

• notes of controversy: none

• special comments: We expect this oil to age particularly well. We think its an exceptional value at current pricing. Rest assured we are setting aside a little of this Oud to see what happens in 5 years or more.

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.