Since ancient times, when man used to sit by the fire and talk to the sky, perfume existed as an invisible bridge connecting the earth to the soul, and time to memory, and among the oldest forms of this fragrance, incense and oud emerged, not just materials that are burned to emit odors, but as an intimate ritual of civilization, and an identity that penetrates the fabric of Eastern societies, both of which are odors that embrace the senses and memory, and embody in the details of their manufacture, skill, craft and good taste, so in the following lines we will talk with you about the manufacture of incense and oud, and in the following lines we will talk with you about the manufacture of incense and oud.

What about the incense and oud industry?

Oud is one of the most precious aromatic substances in the world, and some even consider it "liquid gold," not because of its color, but because of its extreme value, difficulty of extraction, and natural rarity.

In essence, Oud is a resinous substance produced by certain species of trees in the Aquilaria and Guiari family as a defense response to mildew.

The trees usually grow in dense and tropical forests in areas such as India, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, and Indonesia, and extracting agarwood requires careful expertise and skill, as infected trees can only be distinguished from healthy ones through trained eyes and special tools.

Incense is not an extension of the same aromatic culture as oud, but a complex combination of aromatic substances that are carefully mixed, cured, and shaped to be burned and emit captivating scents.

Used in everything from religious rituals to social events, from home fragrances to clothing scents, incense is an integral part of Gulf identity and has a spiritual status in a number of cultures.

The ingredients of incense vary according to place, tradition, and custom, but they often include materials such as oud, musk, amber, sandalwood, gum arabic, rose, and essential oils that are combined in a delicate way that keeps the scent balanced, stable, and fragrant.

Oud Manufacturing Stages

Making incense and oud goes through several delicate stages, starting with the selection of raw wood, and ending with the distillation of essential oils or the commercialization of dry pieces:

Exploration and picking: It starts deep in the forest, where workers search for trees infected with rot. The tree is identified by odor or discoloration of the wood, then the trunk is carefully cut and the infected part is separated from the healthy part.
Sorting and purification: Oud is then sorted according to its grades: "Super Oud, Royal Oud, Cambodian Oud, etc." and is hand-cleaned to remove dust and impurities.
Drying and processing: Oud is left to dry in the shade or in special places, and is sometimes treated in certain ways to enhance its aroma, such as soaking in natural substances or placing it at specific temperatures.
Distillation and oil extraction: Oud oil is extracted through a process known as "steam distillation," a precise technique in which volatile oils are extracted by heating Oud in closed water tanks, then collecting the vapor mixed with the oil and condensing it.

Stages of making incense

Incense is distinguished from other perfumes by the fact that it is often made by hand, and depends on secret blends prepared by specialized families or traditional laboratories, which often inherit their secrets and do not disclose them, and the stages of making incense go through the following:

Preparation and mixing: Incense makers start by grinding aromatic ingredients such as oud, sandalwood, musk, and amber, then mixing them together in precise proportions, and then adding natural oils, such as rose oil or saffron oil.
Fermentation and stabilization: The mixture is left to ferment in closed containers, to chemically react and homogenize its components, and the fermentation period may extend for weeks or even months, which is the stage that gives the incense its stability and aromatic depth.
molding and drying: After fermentation is complete, the incense is shaped into either tablets, sticks or pieces, and then left to dry in cool places, without exposing it to direct heat so as not to damage the oils.

Challenges of the incense and oud industry

The incense and oud industry is not only a traditional art, but also an increasingly challenging economic sector:

The scarcity of natural trees, due to excessive and unsustainable logging.
High production costs, especially for pure Oud and its oils.
The prevalence of commercial fraud, which weakens consumer confidence and harms the authentic product.
Threatening biodiversity, as a result of over-extraction of aromatics.

This is why some countries have started to put in place strict legislation to protect trees, establish sustainable Oud plantations, and control the quality of products on the market.

Sedr Al-Khaleej. The ultimate destination for the finest incense and oud

In Sedr Al-Khaleej Perfumes Saudi design expertise and a traditional love of perfume come together to create a complete experience for those who seek the ancient scents of incense and oud.

The company seeks to be the ideal destination for the finest Oriental and Western perfumes, amber, oud and musk, with the utmost attention to detail from packaging to delivery.

Sedr Al-Khaleej is a cultural and aromatic destination, generating in the heart of the East the finest incense and oud, combining authenticity, quality, and a unique experience.

The incense and oud industry is a tale of heritage that smells of all that is authentic and embodies man's relationship with the elements of nature. In every whiff of oud, and in every rising smoke of incense, an ancient story resides, and perhaps a secret that is only revealed when it is inhaled. This industry has the right to be preserved and preserved, and to be transmitted to generations with appreciation and celebration, because it is a language that is felt, smelled, and remains in memory for a long time.

What about the incense and oud industry?