Borneo Oud by Fragrance du Bois

Today, I'm wearing Fragrance du Bois Borneo Oud. In this bottle is 100% pure oud oil, and that's kind of a big deal, and let me explain why. Oud is the result of a certain type of tree getting an infection. It's the ocularia tree that grows in Southeast Asia, and not all of the trees get infected. But when it does happen, the wood changes and becomes incredibly fragrant. It's almost like the resins in the wood seep into the wood. So that resulting effect is called oud wood or agarwood. It's known to be so fragrant that it's a very highly prized material in perfumery, especially in the Middle East where oud is the base of a lot of fine perfumes. Or agarwood or oud can be burned like incense, a very special incense on special occasions. And this is a practice in Japan and also in the Middle East. So the fact that this is 100% pure oud oil is a big deal because this is a rare material, and it's reflected in the price of this fragrance. It is not the kind of scent that you put on and go to work or go to the gym. Not at all. It's a more delicate scent for contemplation. And you really savor every aspect of it, like you would a fine whiskey or a fine wine. It's kind of a marvel of nature that this is in a bottle, really. Now oud is a funny thing. There are so many different styles of oud. A lot of people think of oud as being sort of a dirty smell, like barnyard or funky or like blue cheese. And there are a lot of those ouds that exist. But this is a different kind of oud, and it's actually the kind that I prefer to wear. I would call this more green and vegetal. It reminds me of the smell of bean sprouts being steamed. Now that's a very specific reference, but it's something that I know, and that's what I get from it. Also kind of damp, like damp woods. It's really beautiful. Because this is a pure oil, some people would not even consider this to be a perfume. Some perfume purists would say, no, a perfume is a composition of multiple materials working together that evolve into different layers of scent over time. And although this does evolve over time into different layers, it's only that one material that's doing it. So I would call this perfume, but I understand why some people might not think it is. It is a beautiful work of art. The oud is harvested from trees sustainably from Borneo, and the oil from the agarwood is aged for four years. So this is really a fine piece of nature that you can wear. And I love it. This is something for a collector. There are oud collectors, people who obsess over the subtleties of this material. It's not really for everyday wear, like I said. If you are fascinated by oud and can shell out the money for something like this, which is a work of art, then I can't recommend it more highly. This is Borneo Oud from Fragrance Du Bois.