Agarwood: The Fragrant Wood That Traveled the World

What Is Agarwood?

Agarwood is a rare, fragrant resin that forms when certain trees, especially Aquilaria species, become infected with mould. In response, the tree produces a dark, aromatic resin. The resulting wood is rich, smoky, and highly prized. Known as oud in the Middle East, agaru in India, jinkō in Japan, and gaharu in Southeast Asia, agarwood has been treasured across cultures for centuries. It's been used in incense, perfume, medicine, spiritual rituals, and even as a symbol of royalty.

Agarwood in India: Sacred Smoke and Ancient Medicine

In India, agarwood (agaru) has a long-standing role in religion and healing. It's mentioned in ancient Hindu texts like the Vedas and the Mahabharata as a sacred offering. In temples, priests burned agarwood incense, believing the rising smoke carried prayers to the Gods.

Ayurvedic healers used it to treat anxiety, digestive problems, and heart conditions. In Indian homes, agarwood incense is often burned during daily worship, while its use in funeral rites serves as a final act of respect and spiritual purification.

This tradition continues today, especially in parts of southern India like Assam and Kerala, where agarwood is still used in both household rituals and community festivals. In many homes, small slivers of agarwood are placed over burning charcoal during dawn or dusk prayers. Its calming aroma is said to focus the mind and cleanse the atmosphere. Meanwhile, a growing interest in Ayurveda has renewed demand for agarwood oils, now used in luxury wellness treatments across India and exported globally.

Agarwood farming is also experiencing a revival in India. With the protection of wild Aquilaria trees, sustainable plantations are being developed. These efforts are not only conserving the species but also offering new income sources for rural communities. Farmers now inoculate the trees to trigger resin production, ensuring a steady, eco-friendly supply of this once-endangered wood.

Agarwood in the Middle East: Oud and the Art of Hospitality

In the Middle East, oud is a central part of both everyday life and special ceremonies. In the Gulf region, guests are greeted with bakhoor—oud chips burned in a special incense burner. It's not just about the scent; it's a sign of respect and welcome.

Oud has deep religious significance, too. The Prophet Muhammad was known to favour perfume, especially oud. It’s also a staple in Islamic and pre-Islamic poetry and trade history. Today, oud oil is among the world’s most expensive fragrances, often referred to as "liquid gold."

More than just a luxury item, oud is a quiet declaration of presence and power. In Dubai, scent plays a role that goes far beyond personal grooming. It's how people express identity, status, and even hospitality. When hosting international delegates, it's common for oud to become a shared point of fascination, cutting across cultures and backgrounds.

In the UAE, fragrance isn't an accessory reserved for special events; it's woven into daily life. Perfume is applied before meetings, during prayers, and even before sleep. Homes often welcome guests with bakhoor—the traditional burning of oud chips in ornate burners—filling the space with warm, smoky aroma that lingers like a memory.

The Middle East is now a global leader in perfumery innovation. Iconic regional brands like Amouage, Ajmal, and Spirit of Dubai are crafting rich, story-driven scents, while global luxury houses such as Roja Parfums, Maison Francis Kurkdjian, Dior, and Louis Vuitton design oud collections specifically for Gulf tastes. These aren’t just fragrances—they’re cultural expressions bottled with precision and reverence.

A new wave of niche perfumers is also emerging. Brands like Boadicea the Victorious, Initio Parfums Privés, and Parfums de Marly blend Western artistry with Middle Eastern scent traditions, often layering oud with other rare ingredients like tobacco, rose, leather, or musk to create unforgettable olfactory signatures. Custom scent layering, personal perfume consultations, and bespoke formulations are transforming the way scent is experienced.

In today’s Dubai, oud is no longer just purchased—it’s curated. And in doing so, the region isn't just consuming global fragrance trends; it's defining them.

Agarwood in Japan: Jinkō and the Way of Incense

Japan's relationship with agarwood, called jinkō, began in the 6th century when a piece washed ashore and was presented to the Emperor. By the 8th century, it was being used in state rituals and Buddhist practices.

The Japanese developed Kōdō, the "Way of Incense," treating the act of smelling incense as a refined cultural ritual. The most valued variety, Kyara, is treasured like fine wine. Historic logs like Ranjatai, kept in the Imperial Palace, are legendary and only cut for rare, ceremonial occasions.

The tradition of Kōdō is still practised today, especially among cultural preservationists and incense connoisseurs. Kōdō gatherings involve not only appreciating the scent but also engaging in incense games, storytelling, and poem recitations. Some high-end Kōdō sets—crafted from rare woods, ceramics, and silks—are passed down as heirlooms. In modern Tokyo, Kyoto, and Nara, incense schools offer workshops that attract both locals and tourists eager to learn this ancient "olfactory art."

Beyond Kōdō, agarwood is featured in contemporary Japanese wellness practices. It’s used in aroma therapy, meditation sessions, and high-end bath products. Artisans are also reviving incense stick production with hand-rolled, all-natural ingredients, often centred around Kyara. Some temples even create their blends to preserve their heritage and raise funds for restoration efforts.

Agarwood's refined legacy in Japan continues to thrive—marrying ritual, artistry, and scent into a multisensory cultural experience.

Agarwood in Southeast Asia: From Jungle Treasure to Sacred Smoke

Southeast Asia, especially Vietnam, Cambodia, and Malaysia, is where agarwood naturally grows. Vietnamese legends describe agarwood as a gift from the heavens that sinks into trees. In temples, its smoke purifies the air, and in homes, it is used for prayer and meditation.

Agarwood also plays a role in traditional medicine, used to ward off illness and evil spirits. Because it is rare, people once risked their lives hunting it in jungles. Traders would pay a fortune for a single chunk. Governments eventually placed strict controls on their harvesting and export.

Today, with wild agarwood sources dwindling, Southeast Asia is embracing innovation to sustain its legacy. Countries like Vietnam, Thailand, and Malaysia have developed advanced inoculation techniques to stimulate resin production in cultivated Aquilaria trees. These methods allow for consistent, high-quality agarwood yields without harming native forests.

In Vietnam, government-backed initiatives are helping farmers transition from wild harvesting to sustainable plantations, creating eco-friendly livelihoods and preserving traditional craftsmanship. Artisans are now reviving ancient carving and incense-making techniques, with agarwood used in everything from religious ceremonies to high-end souvenirs for cultural tourism.

In Malaysia and Indonesia, agarwood is increasingly being integrated into the wellness industry. Oils and extracts are marketed for their calming and antimicrobial properties, with spas and herbalists offering treatments based on centuries-old practices.

Smoke, Seduction, and Spirits: The Otherworldly Power of Agarwood

In the dim glow of an oil lamp, a woman dips a letter into a shallow dish of fragrant smoke. The parchment absorbs the scent—a luxurious blend of aloeswood, musk, and ambergris. She smiles. The aroma will reach him before the words do.

This is not a modern perfume ad. This is Baghdad, as it was centuries ago, as imagined in the pages of The Arabian Nights. In those tales of magic carpets and genie-filled lamps, agarwood (aloeswood) is more than a scent. It is a silent messenger. A signal of seduction. A tool of the mystic.

In the Middle East, women burned agarwood not only to scent their hair and clothing but to prepare for romantic encounters. Their chambers were infused with it. Their letters carried its trace. They knew something perfumers today still echo: scent builds memory. Agarwood was their spell.

And it was not just about love. It was about power.

In one story from The Arabian Nights, a sorcerer shaves his head, dons ritual robes, and burns “Comorin aloeswood”—a clear reference to agarwood from southern India. He casts a circle, recites incantations, and summons spirits from the unseen world. The smoke rises. The air thickens. What follows blurs the line between incense and invocation (Atchley, E. G. C. F. (1909).

Even outside the fables, ritual use of agarwood was widespread. Among Zoroastrians, whose fire worship predates Islam, burning aloeswood was believed to purify not just spaces, but souls. It cleansed homes, sanctified clothing, and most importantly—repelled demons. The fire itself was sacred. The wood, divine fuel.

In India, the wood played both ends of life’s spectrum. Brides and corpses, it turns out, were both anointed with agarwood. The groom’s hair would be fumigated before his wedding, marking his transition with sacred smoke. And when the time came, the funeral shroud was perfumed, helping the soul ascend with dignity and scent.

In these traditions, agarwood was never just a luxury. It was a portal. Whether for romance, ritual, or the realm of the dead, its role was to carry messages—sensory, sacred, or spiritual—to those who could not be reached by words alone.

Today, you can find agarwood in high-end boutiques and luxury homes. But do not mistake it for just another fragrance. That smoke you see curling from a chip of wood? It once whispered to kings. Lured lovers. Banished demons. It still can.

A Scent Woven Through Chinese History

Agarwood, known as chenxiang in Chinese, has long played a significant role in the culture of fragrance in China. As far back as the Western Han dynasty, rare and exotic materials like agarwood were brought into China via the ancient Silk Roads. Reserved for the elite, agarwood was burned before imperial audiences, worn in sachets, and used to scent robes and interiors.

By the time of the Song dynasty, incense was no longer reserved for aristocrats alone. In tea houses, gardens, and scholarly circles, people came together to practise hexiang (合香), the art of blending incense. At the heart of these creations, agarwood remained a prized base. Its deep, musky aroma gave warmth, body, and elegance to countless formulas, from spiced beads to incense cakes.

Even now, the legacy of these traditions survives in both ritual and daily life. Incense scrolls, such as The Collection of Fragrances compiled by Chen Jing, document hundreds of incense recipes, many of which feature agarwood prominently.

As global demand rises, regional trade fairs and digital platforms have helped small producers reach international buyers. What was once a forest secret is now a thriving pillar of both heritage and economic growth in Southeast Asia.

At Grandawood, we honour this lineage. Our agarwood is harvested with patience and integrity, distilled over time, and prepared for those who seek more than a scent—they seek a story. Each chip, each bottle of oil, is a message across centuries

Let it remind you, too, to pause.
To inhale.
And to rediscover the beauty of a world steeped in silence and scent.

Modern Uses of Agarwood: From Sacred Rituals to Global Luxury

Luxury Fragrances and a Billion-Dollar Market

Today, agarwood is at the centre of a booming global fragrance industry. High-end oud perfumes can cost thousands of dollars, and connoisseurs in the Middle East, Europe, and Asia collect them like fine jewellery. In Japan, Kōdō ceremonies continue. In India and the UAE, oud is part of daily life.

From Firewood to Fine Art in China

In Yichun, China, a rediscovery is underway. Locals once burned agarwood from red pines for heat. But Zhou Liyong, a carpenter, saw value in what others discarded. In 2009, he began collecting this resin-rich wood and later opened a carving studio.

His team now sculpts everything from intricate camel caravans to tea trays. One major piece even earned praise from President Xi Jinping. With over 200 local workshops now producing more than 200,000 items annually, Yichun has turned forgotten wood into a thriving industry.

Dubai: Global Capital of Fragrance

In Dubai, perfume is more than a scent—it's an identity. During a recent international business visit, guests from around the world had one shared request: "Can we go buy perfumes?"

In the UAE, perfume is worn daily. It’s layered, ritualised, and treated with care. Oud is central to this. It’s burned in homes, worn on skin, and shared as part of tradition. While the global fragrance market is projected to hit $62.1 billion by 2025, the Middle East, especially Dubai, is its most dynamic hub.

Fragrance houses have taken note. Amouage, founded in Oman, crafts complex, luxurious oud-based perfumes. Ajmal Perfumes, Spirit of Dubai, and other regional brands tell local stories through scent. International houses like Roja Parfums, Maison Francis Kurkdjian, Dior, and Louis Vuitton have all created oud-inspired fragrances specifically for this market.

Oud is being reimagined. Custom blends, layering rituals, and concentrated extrait de parfum are changing the game. Dubai isn’t just buying the best perfumes—it’s shaping the future of fragrance.

The Future of Agarwood: Sustainability and Tradition

Because of overharvesting, Aquilaria trees are now protected, and many countries have turned to sustainable farming. India, Vietnam, and Malaysia are investing in methods to grow agarwood without harming natural forests.

Agarwood continues to evolve. It’s a symbol of luxury, history, faith, and artistry. Whether it’s burned in a quiet prayer, worn before a meeting, or carved into art, agarwood connects us to something deeper.

Its scent may be invisible, but its impact lingers.

Reference

Atchley, E. G. C. F. (1909). A history of the use of incense in divine worship. Longmans, Green and Co.