What Is Oud? The Complete Guide to Oud Fragrance
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By Abdul Aziz, founder of Oud Al Aziz, Hyderabad. Last updated 15 October 2026.
Oud is a dark, fragrant resin that forms inside the heartwood of the agarwood tree (Aquilaria) when the tree is infected by a mould. The resin-soaked wood is burned as incense (bakhoor) or distilled into oud oil, one of the most expensive natural materials in perfumery. Most oud perfumes and attars today use a blend or oud accord rather than pure oud oil.
Where does oud come from?
Agarwood trees grow in South and Southeast Asia, including Assam in India, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia. A healthy tree has pale, odourless wood. Only when it is wounded and infected does it produce the dark resin that smells of oud, and in the wild this can take decades. Because wild trees were over-harvested, agarwood trade is controlled under CITES, and much oud now comes from cultivated, deliberately inoculated trees.
Why is real oud so expensive?
It takes a large amount of resinous wood to distil a small amount of oil, and the best wood comes from old trees. That is why pure oud oil can cost more per gram than gold, while a bottle of oud perfume costs a few thousand rupees. Affordable oud fragrances blend a small amount of oud, or an oud accord, with woods, musk, amber and saffron.
What does oud smell like?
Oud smells woody, smoky, slightly sweet and leathery, with a deep, animalic edge that some people find strong at first. Different regions give different characters: Indian (Hindi) oud is often described as earthy and barnyard-like, while Cambodian oud is sweeter and fruitier. In blends, oud pairs well with rose, saffron, sandalwood and musk.
Oud, bakhoor and oud oil compared
| Form | What it is | How it is used |
|---|---|---|
| Oud wood chips | Resin-soaked agarwood | Burned on charcoal as incense |
| Bakhoor | Wood chips soaked in oud oil and other fragrances | Burned to scent rooms and clothes |
| Oud oil (dehn al oud) | Distilled oil from agarwood | Dabbed on skin like attar |
| Oud attar or perfume | A blend built around oud | Dabbed (attar) or sprayed (EDP) |
How to wear oud
- Start with a soft, creamy oud if you are new to it, such as White Oud Attar (oud, sandalwood and white musk, 8 to 10 hours, Rs 1,999).
- For a richer, traditional oud with bakhoor smoke, try Ghilaf e Kaaba Attar, which lasts 10 to 14 hours.
- For an everyday oud perfume for men, try White Oud EDP (Rs 2,499). For a richer spray, Oud Paradise EDP combines saffron, oud and amber.
- Use less in hot weather. Oud is strong, and one or two drops are enough.
See all our oud scents in Arabic Oud Perfumes and Attars, or start at the Attar Guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is oud made from?
Oud comes from agarwood, the resin-filled heartwood of the Aquilaria tree that forms when the tree is infected by a mould.
Is oud a natural fragrance?
Pure oud oil is natural. Most affordable oud perfumes and attars use a blend that contains some oud or an oud accord, combined with other notes.
Why is oud so expensive?
The resin takes years to form, a lot of wood is needed to distil a little oil, and wild trees are protected. Pure oud oil is among the most expensive perfume materials in the world.
Is oud good for summer?
Oud is strong, so use one or two drops in summer, or choose a softer oud like White Oud.
Oud kya hota hai?
Oud agarwood darakht ki lakri mein banne wali khushbudar resin hai. Is se bakhoor aur oud ka tail banta hai.
Asli oud itna mehnga kyun hai?
Kyunke resin banne mein saalon lagte hain aur thore se tail ke liye bohot lakri chahiye.