Fragrances: A way of life in the Middle East

Some would describe the thick smoke of burning oud wafting outside local perfume stores as something that evokes a sort of transcendent, emotional experience.

The intensely woody and rich scent of agarwood indicates wealth, esteem, and Arab culture.

Oud in the making. -KT photos by Rahul Gajjar

“It is a sign of esteem, power, and affluence. You will find it in most Arab houses,” says oud enthusiast and head of the oud division at Ajmal Perfumes, Abdur Rahim Ajmal. “The richer the scent, the more affluent the household.”

Abdur Rahim Ajmal belongs to the third generation of a family of perfume manufacturers. Founded by Ajmal Ali in the early 1950s, Ajmal Perfumes has grown from a modest trading house into a regional corporate entity with several agarwood plantations in Assam..

Local preferences

“For the local consumer, fragrances are created to leave behind a trail,” says Abdulla Ajmal, general manager, Ajmal Perfumes. Perhaps that is why the oud is an “emotional” fragrance because it is “inherent to the cultural fabric of the region”.

“It is an integral part of heritage and tradition which ensures that it will always remain on the dressing table,” he adds.

Of late, both bakhoor and muattar are also becoming increasingly popular among Asian and European fragrance enthusiasts.

“Both are primarily bought by Emiratis, but we have seen an increase in Asian expatriates’ preference as well as Europeans’,” he says.

“There are a few communities outside the local Emiratis / Khaleejis who buy oud and oud-related products. Asians who have been in the region for a while and have become accustomed to it, wear it with ease. Otherwise, the scent of the oil is fairly strong and not appreciated by a majority of people who come in contact with it for the first time.”

According to him, the sale of bakhoor and muattar has increased by nearly 20 per cent over last year.

“Young people are interested and use them on special occasions. You have to also remember that oud and oud oil are fairly expensive and not easily (affordable) for the youth. This is why the main users of the product are slight older.”

Manufacturing fragrances

Oud (meaning wood in Arabic) is an alluring mystery even to those who know it well. Used by ancient Egyptians for embalming, the fragrance-issuing resin is produced when the fungus Phialophora parasitica invades the Aquilaria tree. The result is the formation of a dark and extremely aromatic resin.

“Though Aquilaria plantations are grown predominantly in the South and Southeast Asian regions, like Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Vietnam, Brunei, Cambodia, and Indonesia, Indian oud is considered to be the sweetest and most expensive,” says Abdur Rahim Ajmal. “The infection process takes about 25 to 30 years.”

Reputed to be the most expensive wood in the world, oud has been in use in the Middle East for eons.

Speaking to Khaleej Times at the old Ajmal factory which is now used for the production of bakhoor, muattar and oud oil, Abdur Rahim Ajmal says apart from incense, the company also makes agarwood oil. The best quality agarwood oil is expensive.

dhanusha@khaleejtimes.com