Yusuf Ghalia

Imagine you were a perfumer in the court of Sultan Abdülhamit or Louis XIV and you’ve been tasked to create a ghalia fit to be donned by the Hünkar or His Majesty. 

When making any ghalia, you’d automatically reach for the oldest, highest quality oud and rose and make sure to bring out your finest musk grains and whitest ambergris. You wouldn’t think of settling for anything less than the best.

Nothing has changed – composing one today calls for the same principles that let a perfume qualify as a ghalia back then. The idea is not only to capture an old-world aroma that takes you back in time – to smell scents that no longer exist – but to create the best, most expensive edition possible.

‘Ghalia’ = ‘expensive’, after all.

While Mélange Privé SQ and Ghalia Sultani are perfect examples of such a trip down memory lane, which oud would you choose to make the quintessential modern ghalia?

One’s obvious inclination would be to pick one(s) from the Olde Oud collection or, better yet… an Oriscent oldie. 

But you don’t even need to ask me. The answer is easy. 

EXTRAORDINARY

Our – yours and mine – oud journey has been so intertwined with Oud Yusuf, it’s hard to think of an oud that has had such a big impact on so many oud lovers.

Oud Yusuf has become more than just a fragrance – it’s a beloved member of our family, a guiding hand into the wild, enchanting world of oud for so many and a sheer delight for all who encounter it. I don’t know of another oud that has received such love. 

It’s an extraordinary oud because it was crafted extraordinarily, and the trees were grown and cared for so uniquely. Oud Yusuf opened a magical window we could all gaze through, and everybody knew it was something special.

What makes Oud Yusuf extraordinary isn’t just that it’s the most vibrant, orange-hued oud I’ve ever encountered. It’s the unexpected, stunning floral character that truly sets it apart. Natural perfumers have long struggled to capture the essence of lilies and lilacs, yet Oud Yusuf manages to radiate the delicate scent of these blooms, enhanced by subtle honeydew and a lingering apricot trail.

HUG THE TREE, FOLLOW THE DOG

While it was never an expensive oud, Oud Yusuf is a rare and exquisite luxury, not just because of its exceptional fragrance, but also due to the mindful and sustainable craftsmanship behind it. 

The trees were never cut down and then cleaned for resin as everybody else was doing, and seeing the small family and their dog work alone to maintain the grove so they could only chisel out the resin required to distill Oud Yusuf was a sight to behold. 

I’ve seen the distiller’s wife hug the Oud Yusuf trees with zero hippie pretense (he had a heartfelt connection with those trees) while her husband would chisel out the resin by hand, slowly.

That’s why they kept things in the family and never hired extra hands. It’s why they were able to keep the operation intimate, artisanal, and produce the most beautiful oud. Everyone was on the same page. It was organic farming par excellence.

This sustainable practice resulted in limited oil production, but the care taken ensured a product of unparalleled quality. The oil is aged for at least three years, developing an aromatic profile that rivaled even legendary wild distillations like Borneo 3000.

Sadly, in an industry that’s about mass output and meeting quotas, it was precisely because they took their time and took such care that they eventually faced financial challenges and were forced to harvest the entire grove and sell the trees.

GROVE, GONE

When we visited, we discovered the grove had been sold. What had once been a lush, thriving space was now barren land.

Yet, there was hope: the family had started a smaller grove, treating it with the same care and attention. This grove wasn’t yet profitable, but it allowed them to continue their practice and preserve the legacy of Oud Yusuf. They were able to maintain the trees and their vision, free from the financial burdens that had once threatened their craft.

Sadly, due to old age, the family ceased distilling in 2019. This batch of Oud Yusuf is the final harvest from their beloved grove. 

EXALT YUSUF

We took a portion of this last batch and turned it into a ghalia-in-itself by steeping it in Tibetan musk – and it’s been steeping for several years now…

And we’re paying homage to Oud Yusuf’s legacy by using this one-of-its-kind infusion to create this one-of-a-kind ghalia.

Now, imagine this musked-up Oud Yusuf enveloped in the delicate floral notes of frangipani, a hint of clove, and the peachy sweetness of Musk Motia (also a unique musk-infusion, this time with motia jasmine). Together, they create an unparalleled synergy where floral elements and rich musk intertwine seamlessly, elevating the experience into something truly magical.

But here’s where things get even more interesting…

In addition to the Oud Yusuf / Tibetan Musk infusion, this ghalia also contains proper red, wild Cambodian oud. A distillation known in the atelier as Crassna Rouge.

You may wonder why we’d use another oud when the point is to have a rendition of Oud Yusuf.

It’s because this is a composition that pays tribute to Oud Yusuf – to use, but also exalt and enhance and adorn Oud Yusuf.

We’re paying further tribute to Oud Yusuf by using Oud Yusuf’s ancestral trees that were much older – and wild harvested. And then some…

Yusuf Ghalia contains what to my nose is the most impeccable HD portrait of the scent of real rose petals jammified in oil form: a precious Rose de Mai extract from the south of France, with a touch of red Japanese rugosa. (What other ghalia in history contained Japanese rose?)

Alongside the redder mandarin/blood orange tone with the exquisite French rose, it’s how this fusion of Tibetan Oud Yusuf and Crassna Rouge dances with the rose, mandarin, blood orange, and precious jonquille that lets this ghalia give you, instead of just apricots, a peachier, juicier profile – that shouts OUD.

But I’ve barely begun…

100% + 50%

Yusuf Ghalia is further complemented with Aroha Mysaku to jack up this attar’s juiciness with a hefty shot of now-extinct musk.

The layering of oud-musk infusions all contributes to creating a decked-out ghalia that now contains an oud duo, a musk duo, and a rose duo. 

As a composer, sometimes the story reveals itself during its writing. You smell the juicier, redder aroma; Oud Yusuf on steroids – and as you study the olfactory tapestry and wonder what could add to this profile to make it better yet, the thought hits you…

…But you can’t use that, can you?

Distilled in 2012, we’ve been keeping this gem for the past thirteen years to perhaps release in the future because it’s such an irreplaceable oud. 

There’s Crassna Rouge’s red and then there’s the rooibos verve of the finest aged Karbi Anglong oud that would inject not just that aged agallochan red but also Karbi’s warm pollen profile to the mandarin and orange blossom to both enhance and thicken the opening notes. 

Just pause for a second: When I say these ouds are in here – that a Tibetan-musk-infused Oud Yusuf is the least of them (and quantity-wise is used least) – remember that Yusuf Ghalia is 100% concentration & 50% of the composition is OUD!

You’re not just getting a smidgen of red Cambodis and a tiny dash of irreplaceable Oud Hud – no sir, they make up HALF the brew! 

Oud at such a high concentration – ouds of such caliber in such high concentrations – should give you an idea of what you’re in for. But it’s the small accessory notes that refine the oud; it’s that exquisite French-Japanese rose fused with thick jonquille and blood orange and the way all of it comes together that makes Yusuf Ghalia what it is…

… Delectable. And like the neat oud – it’s basically impossible not to love it!