The Renaissance
of Oud
What once filled the room in heavy clouds now appears as a delicate, fleeting veil—without losing its depth. Major fragrance houses and niche brands alike are re-
discovering oud, and with it, the remarkable versatility of a true classic.
(Scent) Some scents carry the weight of legend: mysterious, shrouded in myth, and wrapped in an aura that instantly evokes memory. Oud—also known as the Wood of the Gods—is one of them. Few raw materials in perfumery are as deeply rooted in history and ritual, or are as intimately tied to sensuality—and as burdened with cliché. Heavy. Oriental. Smoky. More than just a fragrance. Oud once stood for opulence, power, and spirituality. The scent of kings, a symbol of wealth and reverence, as precious as gold. Instantly recognizable.
Today, oud is experiencing a renaissance. Its centuries-old intensity is being reimagined. A wave of new compositions shows how opulence can be translated more subtly—lighter, fresher, more modern, and closer to Western sensibilities. The resin of the agarwood tree, which only develops its dark, balsamic aroma through a rare infection, has shed not only its myth but also its former heaviness—without losing its profound character.
What remains is a heart of resin and wood. Oud, once a room-filling presence steeped in prayers and stories, now appears as subtle as a golden shadow. It has journeyed from ritual to the everyday, from reverence to intimacy.
In this way, the new oud stands for something deeply contemporary: the ability to carry history while becoming light. A scent that remembers—and moves forward.
Rule of 72 by 27 87 transforms oud’s dark gravitas into a vibrant freshness: transparent woods lifted by bergamot and pepper, far from the incense-laden fog of the past.
The iconic B683 by Marc-Antoine Barrois retains its intensity, perhaps defining the essence of the new oud generation: classic in depth, but with a modern breath. Leather, patchouli, and oud blend into a cool elegance—like wearing the scent of a tailored suit at night.
Au Pied du Rosier by Marie Jeanne approaches oud through florals. Rose meets a hint of wood—a dialogue between delicacy and depth. Oud in its gentlest form: barely there, yet unmistakable.