Oud. Perfumistas shake their heads in exasperation; roll their eyes. Not another one! Sick of oud! It does feel like half of the new launches each year for the past few years do have that word (or a variation) in the name and that note in the ingredients. We think we know oud, but until we smell true agarwood oil and hang out in a room filled with the smoke of burning oud, we don’t. It is an eye-opening experience.

Co-Founder Micah Anderson, photo by Tama Blough

This year I was introduced to a company called Oudimentary.  Situated in a small industrial park in Fremont, California, it is only recently that they have opened their doors to the public on a regular basis, building a small bar to serve spiced coffee and minted tea, and demonstrate their wares. Founders Micah Anderson and Usama Canon are young men who have devoted a part of their lives to bringing the highest quality oils and incenses to their clientele. They have been building relationships with suppliers over the course of a decade, traveling throughout the oud-rich areas of Asia on a regular basis. Micah told me that their products are so exceptional, they even get orders from the Middle East, where it is difficult to find the real deal amongst many low-grade pretenders.A visitor to Oudimentary experiences not only the aromas of various oils and woods, but can also receive an education about the history and ritual of oud use. Many cultures have used the smoke to scent and purify for thousands of years. I have visited three times, the most recently to an event celebrating the remodel of the shop, and each time, I smell something new, learn something new, and am charmed by the sincere graciousness of everyone there.

Burning a piece of oud wood, photo by Tama Blough

On this last visit, my friend and I walked in to the new space, enchanted by the aroma. “What is that?” we both exclaimed, so another chip was added to the burner. Small pieces of the wood are placed on a hot piece of charcoal; just hot enough to make it smolder and smoke, but not catch on fire. I am handed the burner, and I wave my hand above it to draw the smoke to my nose.  I hand it off to the next person, who waves the smoke under their arms, around their body, to scent their clothing. A new piece of a wood from a different area is added when the last one dies out, and we immediately sense the difference in the aroma.

Then the oils come out, and we are treated to smells exotic and familiar, from the grassy smell of the barnyard, to something akin to ripe bleu cheese, to dense, raw honey. Wearing an oud oil is a transporting experience, and following the path of the scent on skin is a delight. We enrichen the experience by waving our perfumed skin over the smoke still emanating from a burner, and the perfume takes on new aspects and becomes even more complex. Sticky and rich, just a drop or two goes a long way. Choosing one to own is difficult, as even a milliliter sample can run a few hundred dollars. Fortunately, there are “starter” oils that are less expensive. Even one ml, applied judiciously, can provide a lot of wear.

Yemeni coffee, photo by Tama Blough

While we are saturating ourselves with fragrance, we are sipping a highly spiced white (barely roasted) Yemeni coffee, which is like drinking dessert. It’s delicious, but should be sipped, since the caffeine content is much higher than normal roasts. Sitting there chatting with guests, getting a little wired, smelling amazing; the whole experience is one to remember. On the ride home, we scent the car with a miasma of aromas, and once home, our fragrant clothing reminds us of our wonderful experience. I went to Oudimentary interested from the viewpoint of a perfumista, but I can see the pleasure and spiritual  uplift derived from having a daily ritual of scenting and purifying oneself.

Oud wood, photo by Tama Blough

Oudimentary offers a variety of products, including burners and accessories. The offerings rotate depending on what is available, and they carry lovely floral essences and other incense varieties as well. I recommend visiting their website and watching the 15-minute video on the home page; it is educational and interesting.

Tama Blough, Senior Editor

As a gift to our readers, Oudimentary is offering a sampling of their products to one lucky reader anywhere in the world. Leave a comment letting us know if you have smelled real oud, or what your favorite oud fragrance is. Draw ends September 14, 2013.

We announce the winners only on site and on our Facebook page, so like Cafleurebon and use our RSS option…or your dream prize will be just spilled perfume

Note: Both Contributor Donna Hathaway and Managing Editor Mark Behnke have written about oud for CaFleureBon. Click their names to link to the articles.