FAQ

Oud, or Agarwood is a fragrant dark resinuous wood formed in the heart of old perennial forest trees infected with a type of mold (Phialophora parasiticia).

Prior to infection, the heartwood is odourless, relatively light and pale coloured; however as the infection progresses, the tree produces a dark aromatic resin, which in turn gives us the very dark, resin embedded wood we call Oud.

The aromatic qualities of Oud are influenced by the species, geographic location, its branch, trunk and root origin, length of time since infectin, and methods of harvesting and processing.

Oud is found in humid and rainy tropical regions and countries, such as East Asia: (Indonesia, Malaysia, India, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, Brunei and Burma), and is available in varying proportions between these countries.

Oud Oil is extracted from the wood through different stages, as shown below:

1- CUTTING AND CLEANING
The wood is first inspected and suitable pieces are cut and cleaned with special tools to isolate them from the unwanted parts.

2- GRINDING
The prepared pieces are taken from the previous step and are finely ground. The Oud wood is cut into very small parts and then grounded by hammering or using electric grinders.

3- FERMENTATION STAGE
The extracted powder is soaked with water in large barrels and left for a period between 5 days to a year or more. This period is called the fermentation period and this is to prepare the mixture for the next step, which is distillation.

4- DISTILLATION 
At this stage, the mixture of the soaked oud is placed in a distillation chamber. For each kilogram of Oud wood, nine kilograms of water is added. This is then heated under a continuous fire for up to 7 months. The fire does not stop at all, and it is preferable to use a natural log burnt fire. As the fire burns and evaporates the water, the liquid rises and drops through a tube that is connected to a cold water tank called the “condenser” which then is connected to a small vessel on the side. Here, the water settles at the bottom of the pot while the more dense Oud Oil floats on top of the water.

5- SEPARATION 
The Oud Oil present above the surface of the water resulting from distillation and condensation in the previous stages is collected using a syringe and the water is re-evaporated and condensed to ensure every bit of Oud Oil is taken from it.

6- DRYING 
The collected oil is exposed to the sun for long periods of up to months to strenthen it and in order to dry it completely from any remaining water particles, leaving only pure Oud Oil.

The most highly-prized ingredient of a perfumers palette, Oud is said to be the first pure incense found on this earth. Yet throughout the centuries merchants, traders and avid enthusiasts alike have found it hard to describe its unique fragrance.

The scent itself varies considerably depending on the source of the wood, where the tree was grown and how the tree was cultivated and infected. Those who dared to express its aroma used the likes of: warm, woody, smoky, sweet.

A scent as mysterious as it is coveted, the smell of Oud is described differently by each bold enough to try.

Our Oud oils are all pure with no synthetic additives or other oils mixed in.

There are many factors that play a part in its pricing including but not limited to its: source, production method, age, strength.

However, as a general guide, the higher the price of the Oil, the rarer it is, the more it has been aged and the more it lasts on your clothes and body.

We offer delivery to the United Kingdom. Delivery is free for all orders.

Shipments will be sent with Royal Mail's UK First Class Delivery (1-3 Working Days)

We aim to dispatch all orders within 1-3 working days. 

We process orders Monday through to Friday 9am-5pm excluding bank holidays. Any orders we receive outside of these times will be processed the next working day. 

Yes, we ship to most regions worlwide using Royal Mail.

• Orders can take up to 2 hours to be processed from the time of purchase.
• Orders placed on working days will usually be dispatched within 12 hours of purchase.
• UK Orders will be delivered within 3 business days.
• EU Orders will be delivered in 3-5 business days.
• Orders outside the UK and EU will be delivered within 6-7 business days. 

In the rare event that your order arrives damaged or faulty, please take photos of the product in question and email our customer service team via support@ghurooboud.com with the details. We’ll respond within 48 hours. If you just don’t like the product for any reason, we’ll gladly accept it back as a return, providing it’s in “as new” condition, in its original packaging with all labels attached.

At GhuroobOud, we always try our best to package your items securely, so they are not damaged in transit. However, sometimes they might suffer some damage whilst on their way to you.

If this is the case, please contact our Customer Care Team on support@ghurooboud.com.

Please do not dispose of any packaging as you may be asked to return or provide pictures.

You can use your promo code during the checkout process.

Please make sure the code is successfully applied to your order before completing the purchase, as we will not be able to apply codes and discounts afterwards.

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