Maluku

There’s nothing in the oud world that mimics Maluku’s ‘red-resin’ cumingiana. That, and the fact that it’s totally impossible to recreate this oud ever again, makes it one of my dearest ouds.

Maluku oud smells like a unique fusion of oceanic vibes of New Guinea with the most beautiful Malinaus. The problem is that there are practically zero Maluku distillations to compare – certainly none of this caliber.

That’s why there’s also no perfume you could compare this bespoke to. I’ve used Maluku in Private Ghalia, but to different effect, and as an addition to my existing Private Blend.

Here, you get a perfume that plays on those island ambergris-like New Guinea facets of Maluku oud as well as the creamy golden-pollen profiles of the finest Malinaus; a sumptuous blend where smoky resins meet creamy floral notes, drenched in one of the rarest and most exquisite ouds on the planet.

With a full 3 grams of Oriscent Maluku inside the bottle – along with 3 full grams of Borneo Diesel, to complement the Malinau-ish facet inherent in Maluku – each spritz exudes a resinous warmth and grounds the soothing creaminess of an in-house sandalwood mélange. This fusion reveals an exotic spiciness, with a softly bitter-green, almost narcotic tinge, courtesy of top-shelf Maluku agarwood.

In the heart, lush Italian and Egyptian grandiflorum jasmines entwine with the lush aroma of Damascena absolute, while a rare Japanese Otto adds a fresh yet romantic nuance. Maluku’s island vibes coupled with Cassie bring a slightly green, honeyed depth, with the more robust floral duo of rose and jasmine adding an almost subtle herbaceous rose facet to complement Maluku’s finest oud. 

Enriching the florals is a creamy duo of orris butter and iris absolute, creating a velvety texture, elevated by a cocktail of peach and raspberry. The surprising freshness of Maluku injected with those fruits, along with the herbal quality of ylang ylang adds balance and lifts the entire composition.

To finish, a touch of tonka bean mingles with styrax, introducing a powdery accessory layer to Maluku oud’s delectable profile. With a final touch of mimosa, the perfume exudes a luxurious, oud-floral regality that smells, as the Maluku neat does – otherworldly.