Ghaith

Tahitian lime pulp, dried coconut, a slice of pineapple, pine nut kernels, a pinch of fresh turmeric and lemon grass – whilst you may be fooled into thinking this is the recipe for a tropical gourmet mocktail, GHAITH is anything but. From the tropical rainforests of northern Malaysia it is a sublime Oudh. From the Arabic meaning ‘rain’, Ghaith refers to a bountiful heavy rain which is beneficial and precedes healthy crops.

Distilled in 2018 in Kelantan Malaysia Ghaith was produced from Oudhs collected in the Dabong region. Dabong is a treasured little spot where two of the major rivers of the Kelantan state; River Pergau and River Galas meet, making this area rich and abundant in water and flood deposits. At first scent of Ghaith you immediately appreciate the impact good soil and water supply have on the scent. Whilst we have distilled many Oudhs from the surrounding jungles in Kelantan Ghaith debuts many fine nuances that I attribute to the fertile location. There is a level of excellence and finesse at play; the small bits of detail that set apart the master suit from the pile, the crisp crease in a steam ironed shirt and the sparkle of a fine cut jewel.

Cooked in our traditional stainless-steel pots with an upright stainless-steel condenser and tear drop separator, Ghaith was cooked in a setup as simple as they come. The aroma, beauty, vibrance and complexity of profile was caressed out, one drop at a time. Mastery, not just of equipment but in distillation technique.

I mentioned the top notes of Ghaith at the beginning. They are no doubt beautiful and wonderfully engaging but then you reach the heart and end notes which truly deserve ‘me time’ of their own. Immediately I am reminded of an era of classical French perfumery – when perfumery was art and ability and not mixing of compounds purchased from one of the large manufacturers. An era when the perfumer had to tincture their own carrier ingredients, distil their heart and top notes, meticulously age each ingredient before composition, An era when composition wasn’t just 0’s and 1’s but a heart beating, nose flaring, and pupils dilating high experience provided by the multiple dimensions of each ingredient. GHAITH provides a glimpse into those multiple dimensions that a single high quality well crafted Oudh oil can provide…

Ending with waves of sweet camphor on beach sand, saffron and rose, touches of orris root, carnation and patchouli finally draping on drops of honey notes, tonka bean, powdery musk, and amber dust resting on lounging vanilla pods sliced near by.

Ghaith is going to be one of those Al Shareef classics when the last bottle is gone people are going to be searching for it all over.