Oud is one of the rarest scents ever known, a treasured and sought after rarity for millennia even featuring in the bible. Initially revered by cultures all across Asia and the Middle East, oud has since come to the West, featuring in products by the most famous western houses.
With mass produced perfumes by designer brands and even niche brands it should come of no surprise that most of the oud used in these perfumes is synthetic - produced in labs - that doesn’t even come close to the real scent.
So what exactly is oud?