Kedah

Malaysia is one of the most spectacular regions for oud. For us it holds a very special place, as many of our first batches of wood and oil hailed from the eastern side: resin-dripping batches of wood from Sarawak and Sabah. For many collectors, Malaysia is where the greatest oils hail from. Its wood ages delicately in the tree for decades before being juiced into some of the finest artisanal oud oil one can imagine. Many brands count their greatest legends as Malaysian oils, and many a Sultani oil also hails from this unique part of the world. With time though, this relatively small region of the oud world has seen its precious stocks dwindle. There was a time when the phones rang constantly with great news from Malaysia. Today we seldom hear of new finds, or even old ones for that matter. The most sought after of Malaysia's regions are its western states, each one a stalwart in the eyes of discerning collectors. The aroma of their agarwood is simply magical. This oil is named after one of them: Kedah, where green rice fields stretch to the foot of Gunung Jerai and the islands of Langkawi rise from the sea. We crafted it at a time when not only was there better wood around, but the distillers were great too. It's a tale as old as time, as so many leave the industry over the years for pursuits with better returns. Kedah is limited to just 2 tolas (24g). Once it's gone, we don't expect to see its like again. The opening is so reminiscent of Kinam: a creamy infusion of honey, sweet tea and ripe fruits. As it settles, the fruit deepens into dark grapes wrapped in golden resin. Hours later it dries down to smooth aged wood, soft spice and a lingering jammy rose, the quiet signature of the finest northern Malaysian oils. An oil as rich and layered as the land that inspired it.