Borneo 50K (Oud Oil)

Borneo 50K reminded me why Malinau is so singular in the oud world. It reminds me of freesia flowers (we have some outside): a paradoxical blend of sweet floral tang, sometimes like raspberries as noted in the description, sometimes citric with a bite that excites the senses. The woody base notes marries with those qualities in such a sublime way. It also has an amazing balance of soothing and invigorating; it helps to balance whatever you bring in excess when meeting it.

Borneo 50K is awesome and so unique. No sharp edge, all smooth, no ouddy note so I ask myself if it is really an oud. It makes me think leaves, earth and roots most than wood and resin. The signature is really unique and unified in a single , deep and richly pigmented note which is a perfume in itself, highly recognizable, taking place in my memory with no relation to anything than itself. I find a nice equilibrium of Ying and Yang, a quiet and silent sunshine, but without any spot of light : it is the light the instant just before the sun shows its first ray. The scent is like *established* in a warm light and peace, in a bath of birthing yellow sunlight. I don’t feel the power of the sun coming, but I feel this instant, just before the story begin, could last the eternity with nothing missing in the painting. The first time I tried it, I was questioning myself about the kind of mood that would call this perfume, and I still don’t have the answer. For me, it’s not truly meditative, neither mind bending, nor calming, etc… an opened mystery. Borneo 50K is a warm and peaceful olfactory island.

This to me is the most scintillating oud I have smelled. The scent almost tingles. Menthol, mint emanate like rays, alternating with wisps of gold and honey. After some hours, when I was done at the gym, the scent was of a gorgeous green wood. A wild ride at the beginning, especially since I have never been a fan of mint, but this stuff has multiple personality disorder which makes it extremely interesting.

Smooth, mellow, airy, ethereal and fragrant. The high toned top notes Malinau is famous for is toned down and have beautifully merged with the rest of the oil thanks to aging but I am also positive based on the distillation itself.

Truly a beautiful oil. The colour that comes to mind is baby yellow. Seaaon is spring.

That balsamic scent again, that must be the heart of Oudiness. Milder in intensity than the Tigerwood 1995, but also more immediately likeable. Quickly opens into a rich, more perfumed smell with a touch of greeness in there. Half an hour in, this is turning into a story of minty deliciousness, touch of musty, musky exotic pot-pourri being made.

After an hour everything in a beautiful green and purple woody minty musk, delicious. Two hours after application I caught myself compulsively sniffing my wrist every minute like what I imagine a 70’s / 80’s television film producer would have done with an *ahem* powdery substance at a hollywood hills party. This is a scent that I imagine an elegant toothpaste heiress applying, but also one that I would not be ashamed of wearing to a night at the theatre, for example.

It’s cool, poised, but completely demands your attention and rewards you for doing so.

Wow! For an initial impression, can I be forgiven in saying that it’s similar to Satori Kensho but a lot sweeter, mature and complex? It starts with a deep and lush incense with an ethereal mint note. A transcendental honeyed wood then manifests that just goes on and on. The longevity is amazing.

Ensar, I put the last little bit of the Borneo 50K I had in 5ml of perfumer’s alcohol, and I swear that alone in the alcohol is the best cologne spray I ever found. If I were you I would pull the rest of the Borneo 50K from sale (except mine 😉 and sell it to TOM FORD or CHANEL or something… It’s that good… As you might suspect I have gone through many a cologne, perfume etc on my way to naturals and many naturals after that before oud, and the B50K EDT (hehehe) is my current favorite!.

Way beyond my means, I just had to try a small vial of Borneo 50K to see what joys the ‘top end’ has to offer… Possibly all my future purchases could be measured by this? Upon first swipe this gave me a hint of fine shoe leather, vanilla & honey, quickly moving onto a woody earthiness. I can perceive the pea-mint note Ensar describes. To me this is an ethereal cleansing aroma, radiating around the other notes, light sweet blossoms against peach. This is a very clean Oud. I can actually perceive the different layers individually yet they intertwine and move in such a sublime way! This is wonderful stuff… Really makes me feel that I am giving people around me a rare treat. Now I would like a bottle of this!

What can a mere mortal say to describe an Ambrosial Nectar of immortals? This Artisanal Oud is Balanced and Refined. Elegant Distinction. The definition of Unisex. It was really nice to discover that each Oud though very differently priced, has a level of complexity that is commensurate with the cost, so that It’s not a case of the less expensive Ouds being ‘cheaper’ but rather the costlier ones being ‘greater’. They all have complex character and some like Borneo 50K are so irresistibly refined one ceases to question the price. It is what it needs to be. If you love Oud you owe it to yourself to try this one before it is ceremoniously moved over to that ‘other’ list on this webpage. The one where you can only look and wonder ‘what if’! Exhilarating.

It’s doesn’t open with the “medicinal” Borneo note at all. It’s nothing like Borneo 3000 with the exception of the quality! It opens not with menthol mint. It’s like honeysweet mint with a touch of cinnamon & a tiny touch of vanilla fruit (raspberry?). It all melds together in perfect harmony. You can pick each note out, but they don’t mash together. They drift in & out in tiny waves. This goes on for about an hour. It all locks in vanilla, honey, cinnamon, a little floral, that golden mint is there, they slowly drift along then slowly the wood starts to come through: the best is yet to come. The woody base is superior quality wood, the most amazing wood, the best. It goes on & on into the night & the next day.

Opening of very high, vaporous, clear sweet notes. Acacia honey, marzipan, Mediterranean mimosa, almond blossom. After a couple of minutes it starts to get its body of transparent resin (actually, Borneo 50K is loaded with it). Gentlest sandalwood, green peas, macadamia nuts, white florals, perhaps a hint of elderflower. It reminds me of Khao Yai’s lightness and sophistication, Borneo style.

The whole pitch is higher than usual, even for Borneo oils. It starts to unravel in slow-motion, like origami in reverse. It gains momentum and depth, slowly, slowly. Hint of pears, anisic element of fresh fennel. Fresh laurel leaves, chamomille, vanilla with a dash of cinnamon, its smell so clean and airy, like days of innocence.

Paradoxically, its green herbaceous notes are hidden deep in its golden heart. The vaporous element just goes on and on… all the way to the drydown. This is an extraordinary oil with an unusual dynamic of scent evolution. Slow and steady progression of Ravel’s Bolero, brimful of resin, bound to bring a smile to your face.

Honestly, I have prayed to Allah Most High to grant me a perfume that is worthy of the prophets, and I beleive that my prayers have been answered. I have just tried for the first and last time my bottle of Borneo 50K and oh my goodness……. I say it is my first time and my last because something that smells so good cannot be worn again. In fact I have purchased a small safe to keep it in…..

First when I wore it I visualized a quiet beach, then as it took me I came into a small forest with a waterfall in the background splashing gently against vanilla flowers and a bed of roses, only to be towered by huge lush green trees swaying above, with a slight hint of moss. Then it took me back to the beach where the sands were clean, sea breeze gently passing over my skin, only to make me feel like I’m actually on a journey through space into a another world emitting a toally different aura… It is so hard to explain the scent, it feels like something totally out of my perception, but something so close to my heart it’s strange…

Borneo 50k truly smells like it was distilled from $50,000 wood. So many variations on so many different distillations from so many different parts of Borneo, it’s easy to throw a dart and land on one that may not be to your specific liking. With Borneo 50k you can safely blind buy this king of Borneos with the assurance it’s a crowd pleaser. Many claims are made about the aphrodisiac qualities of certain ouds, given the often unconventional profile of oud to the western palate this is all too often not the case for those of us in the western hemisphere. However, once again here is where B50K blazes through like a shooting star, rest assured, the evenescent wafts of vanilla wood will draw in both men and women alike, and has more sex appeal then any niche or designer fragrance I have ever smelled. When Ensar says “you should wear this in good company” he means it! Without exaggerating there should be a warning label on this Oud “caution!” This is an aphrodisiac, only to be worn by your spouse, or someone you intend to attract!”

The smoothest and sleekest of all the Borneos on earth including anything previously released by Ensar that I’ve put my nose to. Begins with a cool and gentle honeyed fresh herbiscious vanilla vibe that very clearly evolves into a mind blowing deep and refined resinous wood that by itself could create a flash mob. Here is where the 50K really reigns supreme, these heart notes are nothing short of perfect. You could spend your whole life trying to find the prefect Borneo….or you could just fork over the modest $1500 for the most expertly crafted smoothest, sexiest, crowd pleasing, wife pleasing, perfect Borneo on earth and save yourself the many thousands you would otherwise spend trying to hunt it down. This is what a lot of people don’t get, it’s not like you’re just paying for something from some vendor, it’s not just that you’re paying for the art and all the blood, sweat, and tears that went into the toil of its craft, nor just for the initial investment by the artist. You’re paying for all of that and the time, money, experience, and expert knowledge that Ensar and his team have devoted to providing you with the most profoundly beautiful works of art you can imagine and the reassurance that what you’re getting is absolutely the best oil made from the best wood with the most beautiful and gratifying profile you can have. I have a deep and profound love and respect for my brothers at Ensar Oud for what they have done with Oud oil is nothing short of amazing. I know this may sound like alot of hyperbole and exaggeration, but I encourage you to be a cynic and buy a bottle and investigate for yourself and prove me wrong. I look forward to reading your awestruck reviews!

Un estallido de luz aterciopelado, como una menta luminosa con corazón de flores. La suavidad aterciopelada y picante de las especias, y un eco de maderas nobles que llega desde lejos. Borneo 50K es uno de los aromas del Paraíso.