The Real Scent of Natural Agarwood Jewelry: How Widespresad Fraud Has Altered Expectations
This is a rewrite and republishing of a previous blog on this topic, the new version intended to reflect our 2024 policy change to offering exclusively 100% wild Agarwood products. (In the past we had offered a few carefully selected, and clearly indicated, cultivated Agarwood products. These products have now been permanently discontinued.)
Agarwood as Jewelry: a very (very) brief history
One of the key reasons for the value of and reverence for Agarwood jewelry lies in its material rarity, which is even more rare than Agarwood itself. Put simply, it is difficult to find the type of wood required to make good beads or other small art objects, even within the already rarefied world of wild natural Agarwood.
Wild Agarwood forms only when the Aquilaria tree responds to natural injury or infection, producing resin and the beloved aroma, as a defense mechanism. Typically, only a thin layer of the best aromatic wood forms, as the tree mounts an immune response between the outside injury or incursion, and the inner whitewood which has no special aroma and no value, and makes up the majority of the volume of the tree. These factors make it much less common to find larger solid pieces of Agarwood with a high-quality aroma suitable for making jewelry or carvings. Structurally solid, aromatically potent pieces are especially rare - the best jewelry-grade Agarwood must be both physically durable and richly scented. Historically and to this day, these factors make fine Agarwood jewelry a collector’s treasure and a status symbol across many cultures.
Particularly rare, high-density and aromatically outstanding specimens such as wild Kinam or Kyara—have long been treasured as a status symbol across East Asia and the Middle East. In some circles, a single carved bead or a fragment of wild Agarwood can signify refinement, wealth, spiritual awareness, and social standing.
In Buddhist practice, Agarwood is traditionally prized in the crafting of mala beads (Buddhist prayer beads). Beloved for its subtle, grounding aroma, Agarwood is believed to help still the mind, deepen meditative awareness, and support inner clarity. It is no wonder that in Zen and Tibetan Buddhist traditions, Agarwood is seen as a sacred wood—an aromatic ally on the path to insight and presence.
In Islamic culture, Agarwood occupies a similarly exalted space. Often used in the making of tasbih (prayer beads) and burned during special occasions and religious rituals, it is considered among the finest of earthly scents. Its mention in various hadiths, including associations with the fragrance of Paradise, underscores its spiritual importance. The burning of pure Agarwood chips or wearing of Oud oil is seen as a way to purify the space and oneself, drawing one closer to the Divine in moments of reflection and remembrance (dhikr).
The Truth about the Scent of Jewelry-Grade Agarwood
We notice that in general people’s expectations for the aroma of natural untreated Agarwood have been overblown and ruined by the abundance of artificially enhanced Agarwood products on the open market. Deceptions that range from the entirely synthetic and artificial, to the non-disclosure of natural enhancements of Agarwood aroma such as treatment with Agarwood resin or essential oil. (and of course the rampant sale of varying qualities of cultivated Agarwood products being sold as “wild”.)
People have become used to scent-enhanced products which will simply always smell stronger than natural raw untreated Agarwood.
We prefer the real thing. Pure, untreated, wild Agarwood is a natural wonder. One must become present to its subtleties and moods. The delicate aroma will ebb and flow. Wearing this wood on the body will expose it to warmth and friction, intermittently releasing an ethereal, pure, and completely natural aroma. An unadulterated direct experience of an authentic, rare, and exquisite gift from nature enjoyed by the initiated for millennia. The truth is that most natural untreated Agarwood including 100% wild Agarwood does not project aroma consistently or persistently. The aroma tends to be light and intermittent. It tends to produce slightly more aroma when rubbed or warmed. But will not fill a room with its aroma or perfume one’s skin to the same degree that an Oud oil or burned Agarwood incense would.
Even the very best and most expensive raw untreated Agarwood such as Kinam (Kynam, Kyara) does not produce a constant room-filling aroma at room temperature.
All of this creates an environment where buyers are often disappointed by the real thing, because they have been acclimated to stronger smelling artifice. Deceptions that range from the entirely synthetic and artificial, to the non-disclosure of natural enhancements of Agarwood aroma such as treatment with resin or oil.
Completely Artificial “Agarwood” Products
Many, if not most, of the “natural Agarwood” jewelry products on the open market today are chemically enhanced works of outright fraud. Many of these contain no genuine Agarwood whatsoever! We have seen miscellaneous types of ordinary wood shaped into beads which are then pressure treated with myriad dyes, aromatic chemicals, plastics, or even hand painted to look like Agarwood. Another common approach is “composite-Agarwood” where thin layers of lower quality, but still genuine, cultivated Agarwood are pressed together with plastic resin or glue, and then the resulting solid block is shaped into beads.
Natural Scent Enhancements
Another common class of Agarwood jewelry products are naturally enhanced products treated with either natural Agarwood resin or Oud oil (Agarwood essential oil). Treatment with Oud oil or resin also protects the wood from the rigors of wear (moisture and friction) and also deepens the color of the wood.
It is a very common traditional practice to rub some high quality Oud oil into a fine piece of Agarwood jewelry to protect and care for the wood as well as to enhance the scent. Very importantly, high quality wild wood should receive only high-quality wild Oud oil! There is nothing inherently wrong with this practice as long as vendors disclose it to their customers.
It's also very common that many highly prized vintage or antique Agarwood jewelry items will have been exposed to Oud essential oil and other aromatics during wear by the previous owner, not to mention the sweat and oils from their skin! We are not sure how we feel about this - but many of these previously owned vintage pieces have a special status among Agarwood aficionados historically and presently.
Natural Agarwood resin is a byproduct of the essential oil distillation process in both the wild and cultivated Oud oil industry. Natural Agarwood resin imparts an aroma that is more prominent and persistent when compared to what natural untreated Agarwood would normally offer. Natural Agarwood resin typically isolates and intensifies the leather, wood, and tobacco aromatic base notes that are common to most Oud and Agarwood. The overall aromatic quality of the resin itself will vary depending on the quality of the wood used for distillation. We have encountered Agarwood treated with low quality resin; creating an overwhelming and intense bitter leather and burnt wood aroma. On the other hand we have encountered beautifully crafted 100% wild resin enhanced Agarwood bead works with a complex and delicate scent that we would feel confident offering to our clientele.
We think it's absolutely essential that vendors always disclose the specific practice to their customers. Not to mention, providing absolute clarity on the designations of genuine wild Agarwood versus semi-wild or cultivated Agarwood.
Our Renewed Commitment to Exclusively Wild Agarwood
In 2024 we announced our commitment to focus only on 100% wild natural Agarwood products.
In some cases we might offer naturally enhanced wild Agarwood products but we will always be crystal clear about any such enhancements. What this means for our Agarwood jewelry selection is that we would only include 100% natural wild Agarwood, and if treated, only with high quality 100% wild Agarwood essential oil or resin, and we will always clearly disclose any such enhancements.
The Best Bottles for Fine Aromatics? Our Choice is Clear.
We believe that when you invest in a one-of-a-kind premium natural aromatic, the color and texture are part of the experience and the full enjoyment of the product.
Color and texture provide pleasure, relieve curiosity, and impart relevant information about the unique product you have chosen. Color is a big part of what makes a fine botanical extract special and unique, even when compared to other extractions of the same plant.
We believe in full transparency - and a clear bottle that lets you see and enjoy exactly what’s inside.
The Aroma Sublime 2.5 ml bottle. We believe in full transparency - and a clear bottle that lets you see and enjoy exactly what’s inside.
We think that boring brown bottles limit your enjoyment of the finest essential oils by limiting your visual enjoyment of the oil. We think the visual element is a vital part of experiencing a premium aromatic.
Strong forces in the industry favor the standard brown glass bottle as the final word in responsible bottling and storage of essential oils and other aromatic extracts. But is this absolutely necessary and absolutely true?
For our purposes, we disagree. We believe that the color and consistency of the contents are an essential part of the premium essential oil experience.
We believe that when you invest in a one-of-a-kind premium natural aromatic, the color and texture are part of the experience and the full enjoyment of the product.
Color and texture provide pleasure, relieve curiosity, and impart relevant information about the unique product you have chosen. Color is a big part of what makes a fine botanical extract special and unique, even when compared to other extractions of the same plant.
We believe in full transparency - and a clear bottle that lets you see and enjoy exactly what’s inside.
Light damage? What about notorious “light damage” as a result of using transparent bottles?
The answer is easy. Yes, sunlight in particular will damage, degrade, or alter many (but not all) essential oils and other botanical extracts. So keep your bottles somewhere dark. It’s that simple. Wether the bottles are clear, brown, or otherwise; botanicals should be kept protected from light and temperature fluctuation as much as possible.
The Brown bottle has its place. Of course, the basic brown bottle can serve an important role and might be the simplest and least expensive container choice for standard medicinal and aromatherapy oils if you're very familiar with the contents and the visual aspect it is less relevant. For commercial essential oils the brown bottle is a very effective way to protect the product and extend shelf life. It's also a great choice for long-term storage of larger quantities of essential oil.
But we think a premium aromatic experience best includes seeing your finest essential oils with perfect clarity.
Expert tip: if you have more than a few millilitres of a valuable premium aromatic you might want to put away the larger portion of it in a brown bottle or laboratory grade vial, while you keep a "ready-to-use"portion of it in a smaller user-friendly bottle such as our 2.5ml Aroma Sublime branded bottle with glass dipstick
Oud oil comes in a staggering variety of colours that you don't want to miss. This one is “Pahang Cherry” from Malaysia.
Old habits?
I suppose there may be the perception of convenience in the old habit of keeping your entire essential oil pharmacy out on you kitchen counter or even in a sunny window sill! This isn’t really good for your essential oils and other botanical extracts anyway, even if the bottle is brown.
You wouldn’t keep a fine wine or fancy bottle of perfume in a sunny window? Why not give at least the same level of thought and care to your sumptuous collection of premium aromatics and essential oils?!
In short: Keep all your aromatics somewhere dark and temperature stable. And enjoy our transparent bottles with confidence!
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P.S. Expert tip… And what about keeping your finer aromatic products in the fridge? It's cool and dark? Sounds perfect right? Definitely not!
Sounds like a good idea at first glance. However, for any aromatic product that you want to access regularly, water condensation will contaminate your product. The extreme temperature differential between your refrigerator and room temperature inevitably creates condensation of ambient humidity, and you definitely don't want this moisture getting into your essential oil.
Keeping your finest essential oil in the fridge might make sense when you're storing away a larger volume of a sensitive oil such as a fine floral oil for a longer period, but it's absolutely essential that you allow the bottle to come up to room temperature before opening it to avoid the risk of water condensation ruining your oil! It would also be a good idea to double wrap the bottle in plastic before storing it in the fridge,
For products that you want to indulge in on a regular basis, keep a smaller, user-friendly bottle in a cool, dark, temperature-stable location. If you notice water condensation on the bottle when you take it out of the storage location, the temperature differential is too great and you run the risk of contaminating your essential oil with water condensation. The cooler, darker, side of normal room temperature will be just fine in most cases.
How Aroma Sublime is Meeting The Challenge of Sustainability in Sourcing Wild Agarwood
July 25, 2024
In the pantheon of luxury aromatics, Oud essential oil (distilled from agarwood) stands a class apart.
The most coveted class of agarwood is wild forest agarwood harvested exclusively from mature, naturally occurring Aquilaria trees. This prized commodity represents the pinnacle of both aromatic quality and status in the world of agarwood. Yet, with this notoriety, rarity, and increasing value, comes a pressing concern: the looming shadow of unsustainability. A combination of factors are making the very best wild agarwood harder and harder to find, more and more expensive, and subject to greater regulation and restriction.
The Primary Cause of the Decline of Wild Agarwood: Large-Scale Deforestation
The true primary cause for the increasing rarity of wild agarwood is not poaching or overharvesting as many believe. It’s actually general deforestation, massive industrial-scale deforestation in which agarwood species are simply collateral damage.
General deforestation (for lumber, farming, and other human exploits) is reducing the sheer volume of untouched wild forest worldwide, thereby diminishing the range and prevalence of the naturally occurring agarwood trees, which proffer our most beloved scent. The real long-term solution is saving old-growth forests and encouraging re-forestation including the re-planting of agarwood species.
This is a serious and complex issue that requires collaboration between regulators, governments, and industry. Awareness and activism from the general public to support the preservation of natural forest around the world as well as pointed attempts toward reforestation can be extremely helpful in this regard.
Optimally, wild agarwood trees should only be harvested when in a fully mature state and nearing the end of their natural life cycle. Older wild trees have fulfilled their primary role in the natural environment and contributed to the replenishment of the species. Unlike the vast majority of other forest resources, the harvesting of mature wild agarwood trees does not require destructive practices such as clear-cutting or burning. Mature trees also offer us the most bountiful harvest of aromatic wood, agarwood that is also of the very best aromatic quality.
The cultivated (farmed) agarwood industry, in its most responsible and conscientious form, can also be a major collaborator toward improving the prevalence of agarwood species in natural forest environments worldwide. We have seen many examples first-hand; Responsible, green, organically farmed agarwood operations that also participate in forest stewardship and long-term transgenerational sustainability planning. We cannot say this about the cultivated agarwood industry at large, since standard practices are so highly variable. From chemical-laden highly destructive practices, to clean, green, and regenerative; the cultivated agarwood business is a whole other topic of discussion beyond the scope of this writing.
The Menace of Unskilled and Careless Wild Agarwood Poaching
The global demand for Oud and agarwood has led to a surge of unskilled and irresponsible poachers looking for quick profits. These individuals will target even the youngest trees, which yield only minuscule amounts of aromatic wood. In doing so, not only is quality compromised, but a life, one that could have contributed significantly more value in the future, is cut short. Aroma Sublime firmly distances itself from such practices.
While this is often anxiously promoted as the primary cause of the ever-increasing rarity of wild agarwood species, this is not entirely accurate. The impact of agarwood poaching cannot compare to that of general large-scale deforestation. Unskilled, irresponsible, and often illegal poaching of immature agarwood trees is a serious problem in some parts of the world, and the ever-increasing value of the wood, combined with aggressive regulations and law enforcement, can result in conflicts between harvesters and authorities. While this problem should not be ignored or minimized, it does tend to distract from the bigger problem, large-scale industrial deforestation on a global scale.
Aroma Sublime Sets a New Course Toward Greater Sustainability; Mature Trees Only
Aroma Sublime's commitment to sustainability is evident in our movement toward 100% responsible harvesting of only mature wild trees nearing the end of their natural life cycle. We are now able to commit fully to this, as we have developed more and more relationships over time with skilled, committed wild-harvesters, often lifelong and multigenerational practitioners, who understand and respect responsible wild harvesting practices with an interest in safeguarding immature trees, for a bounty that only comes with patient respect for nature’s course.
Mature agarwood trees, nearing the end of their natural life cycle, are our primary focus. These grand sentinels of the forest, with their years of accumulated aromatic wisdom, produce agarwood and Oud oil that is intense, intricate, and full. When it comes to Oud, time and the complexity that only natural processes can offer, impart the superior quality Aroma Sublime is famous for. And now we move forward with a crystal clear vision for increased sustainability.
How do we verify and enforce our sustainability policies?
We achieve this high standard by carefully vetting our wild-harvesters and artisan distillers, developing personal relationships, often meeting them personally and visiting them on-site. These are often lifelong or multigenerational agarwood experts with a deep connection to the land and with a strong interest in stewardship and the preservation of agarwood species for future generations. We are interested in the story of each tree we harvest, and frequently, as much as possible, are involved in the harvesting and processing of the tree from discovery to distillation, from forest to flacon.
Aroma Sublime Stays Strictly Small Scale: a feature, not a bug
Aroma Sublime is strictly small-scale when it comes to wild agarwood. We don't want to become a huge company and dominate the market. We don't want to compete with irresponsible mass harvesters and middlemen who buy any scrap of wood from any seller. We choose to focus on quality and not quantity. We are interested in sustainable and personal practices, rather than unbridled expansion.
Indeed we are eagerly awaiting improvements in the farming or agarwood; sustainable cultivation of agarwood that results in a final product that we can truly say is as good as wild. So far, nothing compares to the very best wild agarwood and Oud.
Our experience is that both sustainability and aromatic quality can be in confluence: mature trees generally offer a superior aromatic depth, complexity and fullness that is second to none. As such, we can confidently make the choices we do based on both aromatic quality and our broader ethical responsibilities.
The Art of Singularity: Single-Tree Oud Distillations
Much like the best wine or coffee, wild Oud can capture the essence of a precise geographic location, or better yet, the spirit of a single mature tree. At Aroma Sublime, this is our chosen path.
1. Celebrating the uniqueness of a single tree:
Each wild agarwood tree has a story to tell—a narrative of its life and journey; its unique terroir, its struggles, and its triumphs. By focusing on oud oil distillations from single trees, or small groups of mature trees in the same location, we aim to capture this story in its purest form, offering our consumers an aromatic experience that's unparalleled in its specificity and refinement.
2. A More Distinct Symphony of Notes:
The resultant Oud oil, derived from individual fully mature trees, carries with it a unique symphony of notes. Just as a sommelier can identify the nuances of wines from different vineyards, seasoned noses can detect the aromatic variations in our single-source Oud oils. This approach not only provides a distinctive and limited edition product for our clientele but also reinforces our commitment to honoring each tree's individual essence and our greater ethos of sustainability.
Nature’s narrative and nuance
In a world where the clamor and controversy for wild Oud and agarwood grows ever more intense, our mission here at Aroma Sublime is to ensure that this demand doesn't drown out the wisdom and richness of the untouched forest, and the time-honored tradition of small batch artisan Oud distillation. For those seeking not just a fragrance, but an experience, Aroma Sublime is committed to sustainable practices around the harvesting and crafting of authentic wild Oud and agarwood, emphasizing the value of patience, small-batch specificity, and respect for nature's timeline.
To barn or not to barn: Understanding so-called "barn" notes in Oud and perfumery
Oud, the essential oil of agarwood, offers us perhaps the most complexity and variety of any single-source natural aromatic in the world, the reason for its revered status and obsessive study by its devotees.
Barn. barn? barn!
Newcomers to the world of Oud might find this “barn” business to be an enigmatic and quirky bit of nomenclature, little used and rarely needed in more mainstream olfactory explorations. Indeed, we at Aroma Sublime think that the term barn is widely overused. At best, it’s a slightly lazy generalization; at worst, a means of excusing or obfuscating less desirable notes in the marketing of inferior Oud.
What do people really mean by barn when describing the aromatic notes particular to Oud?
The descriptive barn might encompass a variety of pleasant or pleasantly harmonized animalic notes, variations of human body odor, pheromones, straw, horse, sheep, dog, civet, musk, horse`s stable, the full range of leather notes, light fermented notes, astringency, a whole palette of woody notes, cheese in all its variety, grassy green notes, sheep’s wool, lanolin, and many many more.
The controversy arises, however, around some other aromatic notes that many novices or casual aficionados might not dare to declare openly; fecal, urinous, ammonia, “cat box”, fermented, rotten, necrotic, rancid, or intense human body odor in all its variations. We deign to propose that the majority of customers should be informed when especially intense notes of controversy feature strongly in an Oud. We believe you should know what you are investing in.
We do not name these aspects in any spirit of judgment or dismissal, but rather in the spirit of clarity and transparency. We are not here to “yuck anyone’s yum” or to pass judgment on a matter that is highly subjective on an individual and cultural level. But we think precision is important. A lack of precision and transparency in the Oud culture at large, we are convinced, has permanently dissuaded many potential Oud lovers in their earliest explorations.
Its essential to note that many places in the world where Oud bears its longest and greatest histories, strongly favor all the aromas that the term barn encompasses. Without question, there are excellent Ouds that are all about barn. However, we feel that even in an Oud culture where everything-barn is beloved and extolled, there exists a spectrum of quality and degrees of refinement that the customer deserves to be informed about. Horse & stable, or horse manure? Yes, we think you deserve to know!
The important question for us is, are these more challenging aromatic features more likely to persuade or dissuade? Will they be most generally experienced as pleasant or unpleasant, alluring or off-putting? Its there a harmony and a dance, or is there a slap in the face?! How and for how long do they mingle and interact with the other aromatic notes in a particular Oud?
On the other side of the spectrum, there are those who might be inclined to reject the possibility of these more controversial aromatic notes being in any way pleasant or desirable. We will let you in on the not-so-secret secret in the perfume industry both contemporarily and historically: These “taboo” aromatic notes will almost universally delight and seduce the human nose when they are carefully woven into a scent formula; artfully, subtly, as punctuation or sub-text rather than an overt theme. In many cases, they are mere glimmers in a well-designed blend, precisely sub-perceptual and therefore subconscious in their effect.
This subtle application of these more challenging aromatic notes translating directly to wider acceptance and appreciation generalizes well in Oud as well, the difference being that the variations in Oud are more a result of inherent natural chemistry, and less the result of precision human formulation (as in the case of perfume, especially modern synthetic perfumery). This natural occurrence, which we help to isolate and express through distillation, is part of the unique allure that Oud offers.
In conclusion, we feel that Barn has become an all too common euphemism and catch-all for all of the more challenging aromatic features that Oud might bring. Barn is often is a word carefully chosen by marketers to obfuscate an excess of controversial aromatic notes, especially when they feature excessively or disharmoniously in a lower-quality Oud’s aromatic spectrum. Experienced Oud aficionados will know exactly what we mean. Barn is too often used as an excuse to sell you a disappointing Oud.
Aroma Sublime, A Different Approach to Oud
We offer a very clear description of our Oud oils including how the aroma transforms through the drydown. We are not afraid to list less popular or more challenging aromatic notes and discuss how they present in our Oud oils. If they are present at all.
We do our best to offer a careful and precise approach to everything “barn” might encompass. We specialize in Oud featuring very moderate and well-harmonized “barn” aspects on the more accessible side of the spectrum. We are not afraid to discuss these in detail.
We are known for cleaner, sweeter, rounder Oud oils from 100% wild agarwood that is not fermented or burned. We are known for cleaner-spectrum Oud oils, with smooth and round aromatic features. We are known for our careful selection of premium wild agarwood, our passion for gentle traditional distillation techniques, and our patient aging protocols.
All this results in a more reliable Oud experience.
No euphemisms and vagueries.
No excuses.
Just reliable Oud.
Customer Question: What about airing out or sunning an Oud oil to improve it’s quality or remove undesirable notes?
Customer Question:
Some Oud producers put the oil under the sun or expose it to the open air to ostensibly speed up the aging process or improve the oil. What do you think of these methods?
Answer from Pierre Black at Aroma Sublime:
If there is a problem with a certain oil, then certain tricks like this can be applied to potentially improve the oil.
Most of the time we prefer to deal entirely in oils that are top grade every step of the way; from tree, to still, to aging process; and so tricks like this would not be required.
More importantly, these techniques might remove desirable nuances from an exceptional oil, flattening and simplifying the scent.
By sunning or airing out an Oud oil you lose the most volatile and ethereal components of the oil. This can be extremely destructive to a premium oil with no problematic notes or flaws and an exciting symphony of interesting top and heart notes.
Very commonly, If the top notes, especially, of a lower quality Oud oil are unpleasant, the oil can be “improved” with these techniques. You will also lose some of the pleasant top and heart notes as well, however, and might reduce the oil to a bunch of simple Oudy base notes.
I would not say that it’s wrong to use these tricks, but rather that it must be cautiously applied case by case.
For a top quality Oud with no obvious vices, I would recommend patient aging for at least one year in a closed container kept in total darkness and without extreme temperature fluctuations. Of course, there is no problem taking it out occasionally for a sniff.
On the other hand, If you have a medium- to low-quality Oud with some less desirable notes you can try to clean it up a little using air or sun exposure.
Genuine “sacred sandalwood” - The story of “Zen One” - one very special tree!
There’s a lot of talk about “sacred sandalwood”. What makes a sandalwood sacred? This kind of designation is often pretty abstract, but very simply its the very best sandalwood in terms of overall quality and aroma, but also grown and processed in a religious or spiritual setting with careful reverence and attention to detail in every regard. The scent of the final product is the real measure of course. So what is it about the scent of the very best sandalwood that makes us feel its sacred? Why is it considered sacred in so many religions and spiritual traditions around the world? I believe that when a natural substance possesses the properties of providing pleasure, a sense of peace, and real healing of both the body and the mind; it tends to be considered sacred by those who encounter it. The physical healing and psychoactive properties of sandalwood are very well documented. (for now you can explore these in detail with a quick online search, but at later date, we will be providing a complete listing of actual references to studies and scientific articles.) And of course, the very best sandalwood will have greater potency in every aforementioned regard.
We could get technical here and get into the chemistry of what qualifies as genuine sacred sandalwood worthy of the designation. Sure you can absolutely measure what makes a superlative sandalwood oil with chemical analysis, but today I’m just here to tell the story of one very special tree that has all the hallmarks of true and traditional sacred sandalwood. Terroir, growing conditions, age of the tree, provenance, purity, extraction, and ageing.
An incredibly lucky find in the garden of a 600+year-old Zen temple in southern Japan. I have had a personal connection to this temple since 2006 and it has been my “spiritual home” ever since. It is where I first started meditation practice and I have maintained a relationship with them ever since spending more than 2 years of my life there in total.
The tree was a gift. The roots of the tree were failing in the very rocky terrain of the ancient Zen garden in which it grew for more than a century. We know for sure that the tree is over 100 years old because of photos and memories, but the exact age is unknown.
When trees like this are harvested in Japan, already an increasingly rare event, they tend to be made into fine incense as is the culture in Japan, rather than essential oil. What an opportunity to obtain this tree for distillation! Because of the very rocky terrain and thin soil this tree grew in, its growth was challenged and it suffered a dwarfing effect, a stunting of its growth that is known to intensify and concentrate the oil the tree produces.
The first distillation of ZEN ONE was at Aroma Sublime headquarters in Vietnam in January 2020. The simplest approach to make this happen? 10 kilos of the main trunk in my suitcase!
Problem solved. This also ended up being my first solo distillation experience, but with Tony and Tha’s close guidance and mentorship. It was distilled in Tony’s now famous copper custom made still. 8 days later we knew it was all worth it!
About the oil...
ZEN ONE - Japanese Sacred Sandalwood essential oil, Oita prefecture, Kyushu, Japan
A complete description of this oil updated from the product listing in 2025…
ZEN ONE 2020 • 100-year-old Japan-grown Zen temple "Indian Sandalwood" essential oil • Oita, Kyushu, Japan
ZEN ONE Japan-grown “Indian sandalwood” ( Santalum album ) single-tree trunk heartwood essential oil distillation (Jan 2020)
A rare collector-grade superlative sandalwood oil showcasing a very special terroir and little-known sandalwood history and tradition inside Japan. (also see: Zen Heart, another distillation from the roots of the same tree.)
The tree: This singular, more than 100-year-old, Santalum album species (“East Indian sandalwood”) tree was situated in a 600-year-old Zen Temple garden in semitropical Kyushu, southern Japan. Surrounded by Japanese Hinoki (red cedar and giant bamboo forest, as well as yuzu and persimmon trees, all of which contribute to the unique aromatic expression of terroir exhibited through this very special tree.
The history: Sandalwood trees don't grow particularly well in Japan, but there is a history in southern Japan, of Zen temples successfully growing a few trees originally brought from India going back hundreds of years. These rare trees are highly coveted for crafting the finest incense for the Japanese market and is rarely sold outside of Japan. The trees do not grow as tall as they do in a fully tropical climate. Perhaps as a result of the climate challenges, sandalwood trees grown in Japan produce an exceptionally rich, dense, and unique Sandalwood aroma.
• production: January 2020 in-house low-temperature hydro-distillation lasting 8 days in our copper still at Vietnam headquarters by Tony, Tha, and Pierre.
• species: Santalum album
• part used: heartwood of the main trunk, estate-aged outdoors 3 years before distillation.
• scent description: Zen One is dense and intense; clean, spicy and invigorating but without being sharp or camphorous. It’s pure sandalwood glory all the way through, but with some unique features that reflect the very special terroir. The outset features a surprising full medley of peppercorns (you will detect a whole selection of different gourmet peppercorn varieties if you take your time with it.) The citrus note aspect that is common to many good sandalwood oils, here in Zen One is expressed as a more rich and rounded orange marmalade element. You will also notice a prominent sustained cedar note from outset to heart, which then dissippates somewhat towards the finish. All of these unique features are present, while its still also very obviously Santalum album, having the classic creamy aspects and other attributes of “Mysore sandalwood” you would expect in a high-grade Indian sandalwood oil. The finish is big classic “Mysore sandalwood” quintessence, the expressions of terroir dropping away mostly but not entirely, leaving a big bold classic sandalwood impression. This oil has remarkable staying power as the best sandalwood should.
Extensive ageing (Since Jan 2020) has now further improved this oil, harmonizing and rounding its very special aromatic profile.
Growing conditions and influence on aroma: we find it so fascinating, along with so many other Sandalwood aficionados who have experienced this very special essential oil, how much the growing conditions can affect the aroma. The growing conditions in Southern Japan are so radically different from the typical optimum growing conditions for this type of sandalwood, that the tree can really barely survive. Beyond a completely different flora and fauna environment, the most salient influences here might be the relatively wet conditions which sustain for most of the year, as well as a clearly defined winter season that will include occasional short-lived frost and light snow, freezing temperatures which put incredible stress on the tree but do not last long enough to kill the tree. Under the correct growing conditions, this tree would have been be much much taller for its old age. The main trunk of this tree was only about 4m in height, even though the tree was over 100 years old. All of the small branches and leaves would die off during the winter season, making the tree look dead, only to spring back to life in the springtime, with a burst of thin, straight branches and then some new leaves suddenly appearing on the top of the barren trunk.
The cedar note? And finally, regarding the very unusual cedar note in this essential oil, we wonder if it is a direct result the ancient Zen garden being situated in the midst of a massive, primarily Hinoki (Japanese red cedar), forest? When eventually removing the stump and roots of this sandalwood tree for the production of Zen Heart, the second distillation from this tree, we found the roots completely intertwined with those of the surrounding old-growth cedar trees. Is the prominent cedar note in this essential oil a result of direct interaction with these cedar trees? Or is it something more general, like the soil quality as a whole? We can't be sure, but it's something that we like to wonder about.
Company founder Tony Bolton said, while we were distilling this oil, “I really think this is a once-in-a-lifetime tree, and once-in-a-lifetime oil.”
Don’t miss this absolutely epic and rare collectors’ quality sandalwood oil and an opportunity not to be missed. Once it's gone, it's gone.
Read the extended article and get the full story on this very special tree.
• notes of controversy: none (but it should be noted that this is not a typical straightforward sandalwood)
