Why does Agarwood Smell Better With Age?

Hi all

Today, I will explain why we do not release our incense to the market immediately after production but after 6 months. 

Because we want you to get better quality of our Agarwood. Did you know Agarwood aroma improves after some months.

Reason Agarwood Smells Better With Age

(And Why It Matters to You)

One question for you:

Have you ever opened a bottle of wine that had been resting for years and noticed how the flavour seemed deeper, rounder, almost alive?

Agarwood works the same way. But instead of just aging in a cellar, the magic begins while the tree is still standing,  and.......... after it is harvested. The aroma continues to improve even the agarwood is crafted into chips, incense, and oil.

And what happens inside that tree is nothing short of fascinating.

Agarwood: The Aquilaria Tree’s Secret Defence

Agarwood is not like other wood. Its fragrance does not come from its own wood. It comes from a defensive reaction.

When the Aquilaria tree is hurt, whether by a storm, insects, or a fungal attack, it creates a dark resin to protect itself. That resin is what we treasure as agarwood.

Here is the real secret: the longer the tree has to heal, the more complex the resin becomes. Scientists have identified more than 150 aromatic compounds that develop over time. Each year adds new layers. Each stress event creates new notes in the scent profile.

Think of it as nature’s slow distillation process happening drop by drop inside the heart of the tree.

Why Older Agarwood Wins Every Time

Younger agarwood has fragrance, yes. But when you compare it to aged agarwood, the difference is night and day.

Recent research shows that older agarwood contains a far richer mix of aroma-active molecules. This explains why top grades like Qi-Nan have unique depth and complexity that younger pieces cannot match.

It is like listening to a lone flute compared to a full symphony. One is pleasant. The other stirs your soul.

The Aroma Keeps Improving Even After Harvest

Here is something most people do not realise. The transformation does not stop when the wood is cut.

Once harvested, agarwood enters a slow curing stage. Over months and years, the harsher, volatile notes fade away. What remains is a smoother, richer, more elegant fragrance.

A piece of agarwood you own today could smell even better a decade from now.

Why This Matters To You

When you hold a piece of aged agarwood, you are holding years of transformation. You are holding resilience in solid form. You are holding nature’s ability to turn stress into beauty.

And when you burn it or wear it, you experience something no lab can replicate. The deep, living fragrance that only time can create.

That is why we at Grandawood seek out agarwood that has gone through this journey. So when you smell it, you do not just enjoy a scent. You connect with a story that began decades ago and matured into one of the rarest olfactory experiences on earth.

I know you are still in doubt

So I prepared the below

1. The aroma of agarwood is derived from a complex mix of over 150 volatile compounds, especially sesquiterpenes and aromatic compounds. These accumulate and transform over time due to biotic and abiotic stresses (e.g., fungal infection, insect damage, wounding), which increase with age, enhancing the complexity and richness of the fragrance (Naziz, P. S., Das, R., & Sen, S. (2019))
2. High-grade aged agarwood exhibits superior aroma profiles: A comparative study of high-quality Ky Nam agarwood revealed that different samples had distinct aromatic profiles due to the presence of aging-related compounds, such as β-santalol, α-kessyl acetate, and agarospirol. These compounds are known to develop and intensify over time, indicating that aging enhances the aromatic depth (Yu et al, 2023).While our Kygarwood incense and chips are not from WILD Ky Nam, it has the creamy notes that the Wild Ky Nam has
   Click here to learn about our kygarwood chips
3. Regional and grade differences in aged agarwood: Another study found that aroma-active components differed significantly by agarwood grade, which is typically correlated with age and resin content. More aged, higher-grade agarwoods contained a richer variety of aromatic compounds (Xie et al 2024)
4. Chemical differences between aged and less aged agarwood: Specific odor-active compounds like cis-eudesm-6-en-11-ol and guaiol are more pronounced in older samples, especially at elevated temperatures, suggesting that aging enhances their release and impact on aroma (Yan et al 2023)

Reference

Naziz, P. S., Das, R., & Sen, S. (2019). The scent of stress: Evidence from the unique fragrance of agarwood. Frontiers in Plant Science, 10, 840. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2019.00840

Xie, Y., Shen, C., Yin, G., Zhang, S., Chen, Y., Fan, W., Chen, K., Wang, Z., Li, L., & Yang, L. (2024). Uncovering the secrets of agarwood aroma according to regions and grades using a comprehensive analytical strategy. Chemical Communications, 60(27), 3709–3712. https://doi.org/10.1039/d3cc06164g

Yan, T., Ma, S., & Chen, Y. (2023). The key odor-active components differed in cultured agarwood from two germplasms of Aquilaria. sinensis trees. Industrial Crops and Products, 197, 116639. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2023.116639

Yu, Z., Dong, W., Liu, Y., Wang, S., Mei, W., & Dai, H. (2023). Identification of aroma-active components from cultivated agarwood 'Qi-Nan' based on GC-O-MS combined with aroma extract dilution analysis. Flavour and Fragrance Journal, 38(5), 392–403. https://doi.org/10.1002/ffj.3754