Merauke Qadeem

There’s a reason why the Arabs love Merauke – and no it isn’t just because of the size of the Merauke Oudh Nuggets. Being one of the most common counterfeit woods available in the market unfortunately the gulf market is extremely saturated with fake (Sana’i) material – so much so that some governments have even noticed the ill effects on health and have been compelled to issue warnings to their citizens.

Real Merauke Oudh is in high demand, and it isn’t easy to come by regardless of what that pushy Oudh trader is trying to sell you. For all other Oudh the hunters hunt for Oudh trees across sprawling jungles and occasionally the floor of the jungle where the trees have dropped, but real Merauke Oudh isn’t found on the surface of the jungle but rather below the ground buried beneath the jungle floor. This is why when the chips are recovered and cleaned, the outer layer flakes off easily due to it underground weathering. This is also why it is rarer than other types of Oudh because digging them out is a lengthy labour of love much akin to the excavation of a heritage site.

You must have heard of red soil and yellow soil Vietnamese woods, they are woods that had similarly been buried in the jungle floors. Merauke however are much older in age and are buried for much longer than the Vietnamese woods.

So why do the Arabs adore Merauke? To put it simply, Oudh in our culture is not to be just ‘listened’ to. Don’t get me wrong there are many who have an Oudh space where they will go and relax and enjoy high-grades of Oudh individually or with like-minded colleagues, but the primary purpose of Oudh in the Islamic Arab culture is for hospitality of the guests. Guests are received with the fragrant burn of Oudh and are scented with both Oudh oil and the heating of woods as they relax and get comfortable. The guests are fumigated with Oudh after a meal and a generous chunk is left to simmer away in the corner of the majles for as long as the gathering continues to exonerate the guest – AND there is nothing that packs a punch like the Merauke in open spaces and on clothes.

Merauke Qadeem is a relic of the forest—ancient wood patiently unearthed from the dry earth bed of Merauke. Such material is exceedingly rare today; few take the time to dig the forest floor in search of these aged treasures. Decades beneath the soil have transformed the wood’s character, condensing it into dense, fragrant nuggets of remarkable depth and refinement.

Unlike typical Merauke that thrives on stronger heat, Qadeem has become delicate with age. It blooms gently, releasing slow, rolling waves of aroma for hours on the softest ember. Earthy, resinous, and quietly powerful, its fragrance unfolds with poise rather than force.

As always, we are less concerned with generic grades and resin content and more devoted to scent itself. These are among the oldest and finest Merauke woods you will have the privilege to experience, and we are honoured to present them to you.

Merauke Qadeem opens with an unexpected and captivating sweetness notes of ripe peach and sun-warmed apricot rising gently from the ember. This luscious fruit nuance is wrapped in soft vanilla tones and deep, golden resins that glow from within the wood. The age of the material lends refinement; nothing is sharp, nothing rushed. Each facet unfurls in graceful waves, especially under low heat, where it blooms with remarkable elegance.

As the session continues, the aroma settles into the hair, beard, and garments with a lingering, honeyed warmth. It leaves behind a radiant trail subtle yet magnetic drawing others in with quiet intrigue. The scent clings for hours, evolving into a creamy resinous whisper that follows you long after the ember fades.