Kings and paupers alike have perfumed the cloth of the Kaabah through centuries. And here is the scent that I would like to dedicate to the glorious Haram in Mecca.
What you have in Oud al Kaabah is nothing short of a tour de force in oud distillation. A masterwork that brings organic oud to the foreground while giving wild oud a chance to run for its life. It took two years of tweaking and experimentation in the fine art of agarwood distillation to capture this fragrance.
Balance, sophistication, understatement and sheer olfactory wonder, boasting more notes than you find in the most intricate blended perfume. From spices to fruits to flowers – you name it – it is all contained in this single-note artisanal distillation of organic agarwood.
The top notes are radiant spice. From cinnamon wafts of oudilicious yumminess, to the elegant touch of nutmeg and cardamom, Oud al Kaabah breathes warmth and a soul-stirring orchestration of notes.
Being closer to the top than florals, the hints of fruits that compose the top-heart movement gracefully come into action, and you are able to pick up notes of raspberries, peaches and nectarines, followed by fig and custard apples. Intoxication is by now complete. But the scent progresses.
Gardenia, coffee flower, narcissus unite in an ensemble of floral inhalations that transforms into a duet of violet and lilac, lilies chiming in soon after. But the lilac-lily chord in Oud al Kaabah is completely different to the renowned fragrance of Oud Yusuf. While in Yusuf the violet colored florals shine in the foreground, here they are preceded and surrounded by too many notes to keep track of – all in the most graceful orchestration of scent you might have experienced, with the possible exception of Oud Sultani.
Shall I say leather? Agarwood smoke is more like it, wafting forth as the unabashed heart-base tenor of this olfactory symphony. Punctuated by fig and gardenia, the agarwood note is here the most heart-stirring you could wish for – elegant, sophisticated, subtle… I wish I could say I smell other woods, trees, grasses, but I don’t. What I smell instead is the Oud I have been waiting to smell since the first day I smelled Oud.
To own Oud al Kaabah is to partake in a saga that has lasted over a decade. It is the culmination of my personal journey through the world of agarwood. An Oud whose scent transcends the old and the new, the wild and the organic, the cheap and the expensive. Old school Oud, distilled in the most innovative fashion. An oil that taught me lots as I fine-tuned its orchestration – and that will teach you a whole lot. About sensory refinement and olfactory discernment. About Oud.
Yesterday I enjoyed Oud al Kaabah. What a journey. I started somewhere years ago on a trip to Napa Valley in a small private vineyard’s wine cellar. Rich, dark, warm fermented fruit, very close to harvest, but not at all overly ripe. Not yet wine, but intoxicating nonetheless. Then the oil brought me forward to the blueberries in my front yard, warming in the sun, waiting from me to enjoy right from the bushes. Mixed with the blueberries was honey. But not just any honey. This was honey made by bees covered in the pollen from raspberry flowers. Absolutely delicious honey, no doubt. This was how your Oud al Kaabah and I started our morning together. The oil’s middle was grounded in an oaky cedarwood that quietly morphed back and forth, into and from, rich, dark, clean leather with a hint of earthy vetiver. No barn here, no funk, just the fruits of the earth on a warm summer day. Well done, Sirs. Bravo! – Larry, NY
on on the website, I smelled the fruits first. Strong notes of figs and raisins, and guava. Then after a while the spice notes came out: cinnamon and nutmeg.
Al-Kaabah is also the Oud with the slowest scent progression I have ever experienced! It literally takes almost an hour before the fruity notes subdue and the spices come out. And another hour before the spices give way to the leathery agarwoody notes. The oil seems to meditate on my skin, it is so slow to change its scent.
This oil is something special, and those who like their oils soft, gentle and not overpowering will find this one pleasant. I also like the idea that this is another organic oud, meaning it was produced in sustainable way.  – Thomas, Germany
Just received the Oud al Kaabah. Upon smelling it I knew this was going to be something very special. Awesome stuff. Ma sha Allah. – Muhammad, IL
Received it today! I really love the Kaabah – it is so complex and beautiful… – Greg, MA
It starts slightly barnyardy on me and then changes into its floral heart where I can pick some violet & very subtle gardenia. It has a fruity note mixed with the florals that I cannot put my finger on. It is my first oud that is floral, airy. Very very enjoyable. It kind of gives you a spiritual uplift. Full Bottle Worth. – Faisal, WV
Oud al Kaabah is very nice. I’ve only tried it once but I was impressed. Have never smelt anything like it before. Got a sort of lemon cheesecake vibe. I’ve been trying to pin exactly what it reminds me of but have been unable thus far. I just think lemon cheesecake, candy and pear drops. And oud. It has to be the first oud that I have been able to pick up amazing notes like these which are mentioned in descriptions and reviews. I usually dismiss mention of them as hyperbole. – Zartash, UK