Nov
Many people think the thickness of an oud oil is a measure of quality — the thicker it is, the better it must be.
This belief is so widespread that countless distillers and sellers deliberately leave fresh oud sitting open under the sun for weeks, often months, just to “force-age” it and thicken the oil. All to feed the myth that viscosity equals superiority.
But you want the truth?
Force-aging – whether by leaving the oil in direct sun or under harsh industrial lighting to artificially thicken it – does two things:
- It oxidizes the oil.
- It kills the fragrance.
Oud that’s been artificially thickened might smell okay for the first minute or two, but it quickly collapses into something dusty, flat, or bland. Prolonged oxidation strips away its vibrancy; the scent quite literally evaporates.
You can test this at home: leave your olive oil open a week and smell it again. It turns stale. Same thing with oud – only oud is far more tenacious. That’s why they leave it out for so long…
Dom Kwan wasn’t left in the sun, parked under heat lamps, or subjected to any of the usual theatrics people use to “thicken” an oil. Its body is the same EO-style thickness you’ll find in Oud Extraordinaire, Oud Dhul Q, or the rare thick Sarawak distillations we’ve produced in the past… the kind that has left more than a few distillers scratching their heads!
There’s been zero forced air oxidation, which means the scent profile remains fully intact. Here, thickness extends longevity. A naturally dense oil absorbs more slowly into the skin, so its aroma lingers longer. Instead of a quick blast of top notes followed by a crash into flatness, the fragrance stays vivid and alive from top to drydown.
And instead of top notes that lasts only a few minutes, the scent stays alive throughout your wear.
So, if you enjoy thicker ouds or you’re looking for a proper, not fake thick oud, I recommend these:
Dom Kwan >
Oud Dhul Q >
Oud Extraordinaire >
