Agarwood: names, material and uses

1. Botanical Induction & Heartwood Oleoresin

Unlike conventional fragrant timbers such as sandalwood or cedar, healthy agarwood trees produce pale, odourless, and low-density wood. True agarwood resin forms strictly as an immune response to physical injury and subsequent fungal colonization (primarily by Phaeoacremonium parasiticum or Aspergillus species). Over years or decades, the tree saturates its heartwood with dark, dense aromatic sesquiterpenes.

2. Extraction Methodology: Traditional Deg vs Modern Steam

The olfactory character of pure Dehn Al Oud is profoundly shaped by the distillation vessel:

• Traditional Copper Deg (Hydro-distillation): Revered in Assam and Kannauj. Direct wood-fire heating in hammered copper cauldrons with bamboo condensors yields deep, leather-dominant, animalic, and smoky profiles through controlled caramelization.
• Modern Stainless Steel Steam: Preferred in Thailand (Trat) and Cambodia. Low-temperature, pressurized steam preserves volatile top notes, producing clean, golden, peachy, and sweet floral profiles free from scorched particulates.

3. Laboratory Chromatography & CITES Appendix II

All species of Aquilaria and Gyrinops are protected under Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Legal international export requires non-detriment findings (NDF), verified permits, and authentic Certificates of Origin. Laboratory Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) confirms the absence of synthetic DOP plasticizers, dipropylene glycol (DPG), or chemical aromachemical boosters.