Al Shareef III

A little over ten years ago when the Oudh landscape was extremely different and the availability of large quantities of high quality wood was prevalent we embarked on the creation of an oil that we would name Al Shareef III. The theme of our Al Shareef oils has always been to celebrate the way Oudh has been understood in our culture – to coax the best out of what nature offers without getting too technical and to celebrate the heart and soul of the master who cooks the oil.

Kedah or Dar Al Aman (the Abode of Peace) is Malaysia’s most Northern state, occupying a North West position right on the border with Thailand. It has beautiful landscapes, highlands, forests, jungles and amazing beaches. Kedah also has some of the most phenomenal natural water bodies in Malaysia such as the Telaga Tujuh, known in English as the Seven Wells Waterfall. A waterfall 90meters above a sparkling pool of pristine water. It is in this majestic environment we located a gigantic Oudh tree that was well over a 100 years old. When life from such a giant is passed into a few litres of oil that is then decanted into small bottles you know it is going to be special. With such trees my mind doesn’t ponder on the scent of the oudh as much as it does about the spirit..what power, strength, depth, wisdom and humility.

After cooking this oil in the most traditional of our pots that we have in Kelantan and then aging it for 10 years when I smell this oil it is like stepping out of this world, such power, grit, depth, richness and beauty yet all in the most encompassing manner. This is not an oil that I will talk about in scent notes or profiles rather this oil is beyond notes. This is an oil that moves your heart, uplifts spiritually and makes you feel fortified. When applied the stresses of this world disappear and I am surrounded by tranquillity & peace. It oft reminds me of the saying “fragrance is the fortifier of the heart”

As it is the month of Rabi’a Al Awal, we will launch this gem at the same price that we had Al Shareef II. We can afford to do this because we cooked this oil 10 years ago when old wild oudh was easily accessible, had it been done at today’s price you would be paying 3 times more.