Merauke

I often get asked “when will you release another Merauke oil?” and my response is always the same “when I am pleased with one of the Oils.” What most people don’t realise is that not every Oil we produce is released to the public. Currently, Merauke Oudh is one of the more accessible Oudhs, however when distilled they don’t always perform or perfume well, and I don’t compromise on quality.

So here is the story behind Merauke – The Oil. Like most of the other Oudh producing destinations, what makes it to the market in Indonesia is through Oudh traders and dealers. Dealers who are based in capital cities go to the edge of remote jungles and purchase the woods directly from hunters and Oils from ‘micro businesses’ in townships. These products are then brought to the big cities, sorted, graded, and marketed to the world. It is a fairly effective system providing hunters and micro businesses access to a steady stream of clients they can expect an income source from.

Like every generality, there are exceptions. The exception in this scenario are those natives in the jungles who have fallen in love with Oudh themselves. I call them the fragrance mavericks in the wilderness. These individuals are the fragrance connoisseurs of the jungle in the complete sense. Their interaction with the visiting folk of the cities is to learn anything worthwhile benefitting them in their quest on the fragrant trail. They will try to learn about materials, equipment, new apparatus, and curing techniques – you name it they are willing to learn. In the jungle there isn’t the luxury of going to the library, hardware store or lab to have your specific need met.

In such an environment you have these amazing individuals who collect Oudh wood, not with the intention to sell but because they are true enthusiasts whose interest in fragrance have been piqued. There is a big difference in quality when someone collects wood for business and the other collects it for passion. The one who does so for selling will pick up every little twig with the slightest potential for sale, whereas the one with passion does to fulfill their thirst.

Merauke – The Oil is an Oil distilled from woods that were not meant for the market. Woods from the private collection of a fragrance maverick, who educated himself about Oudh and knows the nuances of the native species like no other. We were lucky he decided to sell some of these woods making them available to us.

Now here is another interesting fact some of you may be aware of – Merauke oils are sensitive to storage, so after distilling we gave it our special IP curing treatment aging it for a further two years. Now here it is…Merauke – The Oil.

Opening with a cedar pine note that is beautifully bright, nearly green, lush and graceful, you are presented with a wonderfully warm envelope of Merauke wood aroma that encapsulates you, wrapping its arms around you to console you; you are in good hands. The finest Merauke Oudh dust resting on salt white beach sand mingling with an aged wooden book chest, matured cigars and dark herbal ointments with the slightest hint of ethanol to make it light and pleasing. A touch of passion fruit flower, vanilla, clove, Ceylon cinnamon and a lovely bamboo greenness and THEN rises the kick we all wait for; the scent of bubbling Merauke wood on low heat.

A Merauke oil, not distilled from woods buried in swamps, or under the rotting jungle floor, but from hand collected immaculate pieces lovingly collected and cared for, right from the process of collection all the way to distillation and curing and aging, here is Merauke – The Oil.