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In the in 1980’s Indonesia can export around 2000 tons of oud to the whole globe, now within 20 years this capability had been decreased rapidly.

With an extensive explotation and without any effort of replanting from the locals, the oud is in mortal danger of extinction.

In 1992 the Convetion for Threatened and Endagered Species or CITES put Aquilaria and Grynops under CITES appendix II . But luck seems haven’t leave the golden tree. Research that were taken by American named Robert .A. Blanchette in Vietnam in 2001 had put a golden key for it’s survival. But in my personal opinion his research is nothing more then taking deeper experiment that had being done by locals long before his research. Such as nailing the agarwood, but his further research is a leap for agarwood or Oud survivability. This is inducement or innoculation using certain fungus that were inside the agarwood or oud itself.

We know that Oud or agarwood is a process of infection. The infection is caused by fungus. In the wild this infection can take from a decade to several centuries process.

The basic principal of Oud or agarwood inducement is copying this process but in quicker way.

Oud had very soft and light wood, so it was easy prey for bugs and fungus.

In the wild the infection begins with an insect larvae attack, the insect are making tunnel and live inside the tree for a period of time. The larvae activity inside the wood make a side effect which is the creation of micro climate inside the tunnel. So the tunnel that is a wound will be infected with fungus and the tree emmits resin to fight the evil boarders.

From those principals we make such process only with better way in controlled enviroment and correct dosage of fungus. We drill them and put fungus inside the holes.

This may look cruel but the ever demand of oud in the world cannot meet with the Oud stock in the jungle. So one way or another, this must be done so our children and their descendant may still can appreciate the golden tree.

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Mar 01

Can Oud Oil Varied In Color ?

Posted by: AgarWoodIndonesia in agarwoodindonesia No Comments »

I heard and read a claim about oud can be vary in color.  This person claimed that Oud oil can be greenish or purple because of distilation process.

If you ask me  can oud oil  be varied in color?

The answer is yes. But green or purple is not it’s natural color. Since the color of oil depend on composition of chemical compound inside the oil Since oil is liquid state of oud resin. So it’s impossible that the oil will have different color with the resin when you distill them. It can be greenish or reddish but not dominant color. Pitch black is the natural color of oud oil or golden or brownish not purple or green (please read about this in agarwood grading article). Since this coloring process is also depend on micro climate inside the wood when infection taken part also what fungi and bacteria that taken part of this infection.

But making your Oud green isn’t as hard as you may think.

You just need a copper brass canister and oud oil.

Very simple and easy task, put the oil inside the copper brass, let it contact with the air for few months or even years (you may close it with a shred of fabric). And the reaction between the oil and the copper brass canister give you green oud oil. As simple as that.

But purple?

I’ve asked a professor that researching agarwood or oud since 1989. And when I asked him about this matter.  He said it’s not possible that oud oil can be purple. Too bad he doesn’t want to be known by public. Only to specific persons that had serious interest in agarwood.  I must seek his permission first if I want to publish his name on the web.  Since I don’t have it now maybe I will share his name and contact with you dear readers in the future.

There are many myth regarding oud including this one.

The simplest way to make oud colored is put some coloring agent in it.

The easiest way to detect this to give it a test lab using GC-MS test. With counter test between you and the trader. That’s all I can say.

If  any of you beloved readers had any objection in this article I would be glad to take any critics.

Thank you for reading.

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Jan 21

Gaharu VS Gaharu Buaya

Posted by: AgarWoodIndonesia in agarwoodindonesia 2 Comments »

Oud or gaharu in Indonesia had 17 kinds of species. But people especially traders in Indonesia divide these 17 kinds into 2 major class. The Gaharu so called “real ” oud and Gaharu Buaya so called “2nd grade” oud.

What’s the different between these two anyway?

Well First, let me introduce you to Gaharu or so called as “real” oud.
“Real ” oud are mostly come from Aquilaria Family. These includes The most highly priced now Aquilaria Crassna also known as Cambodi Oud. Aquilaria Malacensis, Aquilaria Beccariana, Aquilaria Fillaria (the Papuan Oud) and so on. These Aquilaria families were highly priced because of there high quality. Defining what is high and and not in oud business is difficult. Since many people strictly depend on their noses and experience. And nose those that aren’t trained enough can be easily to be fooled.

The reason aquilaria class is considered high grade is the highly eudesmol content inside the oil. They say the higher the eudesmol the higher the quality of an oud oil. But to me me this is still vague. What is behind the mystery of these Aquilaria are higly priced?

Some said the middle eastern people seek for oil that will dooze them up with full relaxation after they inhale the vapor. Simply they become very sleepy and wake up with a very relaxing state. And this is from Aquilaria Family.

From chemical aspect oud is very unique substance since it consist 17 kinds of compound. That each had different in these compound even in a single species that live in a different area.

Let’s discus about Gaharu Buaya

For you oud lovers outside my country (Indonesia) mostly didn’t have any clue about these type of Oud. The term “buaya” in gaharu meaning “crocodile“.

The naming of Buaya had their own story.

One version said that the naming came from where these so called gaharu buaya lives. Which is in the bogs or the swamp, that is the habitat of crocodile. Since they are gaharu so people called them as gaharu buaya to differ their jungle counter part.

Other version of this naming Buaya is actually a marking for it’s quality. Buaya in Indonesian culture related to a person that is a womanizer and a big liar. So marking it with this buaya name give it a difference with “real” oud. Well some gaharu buaya is quite disgusting resemble to what we called as minyak nyongnyong (very strong oil that super powerful in it’s oudor that make you wanted to vommit). But some where had agreeable oudor close to Aquilaria Class. Like the one I had here the Agrolia Malacensis and the Aetoxylon Sympetalum.

The Gaharu Buaya had a lot more species then the Gaharu from Aquilaria Family. That’s another difference. In oud perfumery industry, these gaharu buaya are largely use for mixture with Aquilaria Family to meet the demand of growing market. Since Aquilaria class is very expensive that would not be economic to use these Aquilaria in Industry.

Many of these Gaharu Buaya oil goes to India trough Singapore, there they will be mixed with other oud from Aquillaria Family and sell to middle east. And later on to the Europe and USA.

The point is people don’t let your nose and you experience trick you…..

Since my fellow friend sell several hundred dollars worth of oud for several thousand dollars because of the buyers mistake. My friend tried to explain with his best ways. Even show the guy a lab certificate . But the guy don’t get it. He simply give up in explaining it. Then he put several bottles and let him pick. The guy’s pick is on the wrong one…it only worth several hundreds a liter but he paid it for several thousand…. And when my friend warn him that is not a good one, the guy insist. So they had a deal and my friend is both happy and confuse.

Why this guy pick the wrong one? It was only a Gaharu Buaya….

That’s all folks….

Thanks for reading

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