People’s Silani
Aroha Kyaku is a $2,500 smell we use as a PR statement. Even with that, People’s Silani is hands-down the cheapest oud I’ve ever released. So much so that it’s double, even triple the bargain Czar Ceylon was, for…
Take the signature ocean-blue New Guinea profile and lavish it with Ceylonian mimosa. Not pretty, but elegant. Beautiful. Easily more wearable than even Oud Yusuf, the lush NG aquamarine bathed in Walla’s oceanic cool makes it the ultimate everyday wear, while still packing everything oud ought to be.
People’s Silani is chock-full of oleoresinous oudiness, vibrant scent progression, and tenacity. Projection and silage are great—exactly what you want with such an exotic aroma—and accessibility on par with any jasmine.
Aroha Kyaku is a $2,500 smell we use as a PR statement. Even with that, People’s Silani is hands-down the cheapest oud I’ve ever released. So much so that it’s double, even triple the bargain Czar Ceylon was, for several reasons.
· We subsidized the New Guinea batch (wild) with wood sales (i.e. writing them off).
· On top of that, we’re able to bankroll the Sri Lankan batch (100% wild) almost completely by ‘spreading’ its cost across other oils we’ve already paid off entirely, practically turning our profit into your gift. Not just that, the same batches I’m talking about here have gone up significantly in value during the past year, so you automatically save even more.
· We incorporated a copious amount of organic kyen in the distillation. That said, the wild New Guinea & Sri Lankan components have almost wholly assimilated any remnant of its sencha note, enriching their respective profiles even further — so, enjoy a swipe of SUPER kyen.
The how of it all lies in the meticulous selection of raw materials and the way they get distilled. Anybody who has tried their hand at co-distillation knows how easily one profile dominates the other; how difficult it is to get a unique scent.
Singling out three varieties of agarwood, each with the intrinsic Kōdō quality of ‘clarity’ (a lá Suriranka and Betonamu Senkohs) and a proven record of incense-green crispness has something to do with it. As for tweaks and techniques, a key feature of the setup has less to do with copper or steel and more to do with seashells and ants…… and that’s all I have to say about that!
I haven’t been as enamored with such a scent in a long time. Actually, I’m lying—not since Suriranka. And that should tell you everything. Based on how I’ve been dousing myself in it, this is NOT an oud you put aside for posterity. Use it, abuse it, force it on your house guests. I’m definitely telling certain people to get a couple of tolas worth. And I’m not saying that as a distiller with an oil to move, but your fellow oud lover. I’m confident that this will go down as the greatest deal in oud history, and one of the most enjoyable ouds all round. What I’m less sure of is if we’ll be able to offer oud of this caliber at this price again. (A company can’t subsidize its own products ad infinitum without going bankrupt, after all.)
Like with the most ethereal Sultans or any of the Senkohs, People’s Silani is 100% agreeable to wear anywhere. Actually, with such wafts of incense you might set off a fire alarm in the office, but other than that… this is one oud you don’t have to feel guilty about swiping for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. And then some.
Like you might have discovered with fine Sri Lankan ouds, there’s a tranquility to the aroma that makes it, for lack of a better expression… comforting. In aromatherapy terms, a soothing lavender-like effect that calms you down a bit; a eucalyptusian loosening of the nerves. (This was one of the addicting factors that made me take copious swipes of Suriranka whenever I used to leave the house.)
If you’re unsure what your next oud should be, or you’re on the fence about finally taking the plunge into Aloes’ wonderland… or if you’re like me and want a fragrance that’s just downright delectable—on him or her—then this is the oud for you.
Rest assured we cut no corners nor counted pennies crafting People’s Silani. You get wild incense-grade gyrinops shavings and hand-ground wild Walla Patta chips and strips (and not just from Sinharaja, either!) married into a scent that’s monkoh-awesome, champaka-sweet, with that lemon blossom bitterness that screams Serindepian incense. Walla that takes a full month to squeeze at high-temp, cranked up even higher for the last ten days, entails wood of a different order.
In case you’re wondering, People’s Silani blows Czar Ceylon out of the water (in terms of raw materials AND olfactory depth). It exudes more refined heart notes, more tenacity, and none of this new-school lackluster development.
I.e. expect several hours worth of loud listening. (I’m almost nine hours in, being pampered with Sultani incense. That said, I’ve already lacquered myself with three more swipes on different spots during this time… just wait till you’re in my shoes and you’ll know why! See also: “def. Addictive.“)
*I’m not comparing People’s Silani to giants like Suriranka Senkoh and the Sultan Series for dramatic effect. Pull any of these out of your collection and smell what I mean… and why buying a tola seems like most obvious thing you ever had to do.
You cannot wish for a more rounded, full-spectrum oud oil. And I sincerely believe that we’ve removed every barrier possible for you to acquire not just a bottle of pure oud, but as fine an artisanal distillation as they come. Not to mention, where else would you find such a Sri Lanka | Kyen | New Guinea trio?
Wear it. Enjoy it. And if you’re like a good friend of mine… gift it.
Featured Testimonials…
Oh boy, where do I start with this oil. This is my first time experiencing oil from the Sri Lankan region, and what a beautiful surprise. I got that familiar note that I got from amber attar, the one that they call as oceanic smell. I also got that one smell that I got from wooden furniture in my house, didn’t know how to describe it explicitly, but sure I am in awe of this oil, I may consider purchasing a full bottle next time.
Silani on my skin reproduces the scent of lily of the valley. It is a masterpiece. Very beautifuly balanced. A perfume in itself. The premium quality of the wood used makes no doubt. A lot of nobility in Silani.
This oud is a roller coaster. You can distinctively tell the three ouds in this composition although one stands above the others depending on how much time has passed since you applied it. From the get go you get that Papua mintiness only on this one it’s not so out there as in say Oud Royal 2004 or Green Papua, it’s more tamed. After a couple of hours that slowly starts to fade and the sweet smoothness of the Sri Lankan oud takes the center stage. As it dries out you start to get more the woodiness, honey-like of the Thai ouds. It starts fresher and becomes more and more sweet as it dries down. I find that these three almost contrasting aspects of each oud makes it very deep and complex. I would have never imagined that ouds so different could be so well combined in such a balanced way.
On its first application, it just reminded me of Kastalana but Kastalana was tart Jam kind of sweet. This is 80% sweet like Kastalana but has a different aroma to it. Dry down is just like a fruity floral high end perfume. It’s really soothing for me. Already ordered 3 bottles of People’s Silani.
People’s Silani has a hint, like a memory or sense of resemblance, of what’s in Suriranka 2.0- but its much more earthlike than ethereal. It is also cooling, but of a related yet different type; the Papua gives it more of the rainforest freshness, resulting in a more teal rather than blue or green appeal. Then the Thai comes into play, and somehow its fruitiness softens the whole and yields a burst of flavor reminiscent of eating chilled pineapple while sitting near a creek side, moss covered rock- the bursting sweet, semi-citric (not citrus) tang. Its a delicious refreshment ready to eat.
People’s Silani…I have been laughing at myself. A warm and kind forgiving laughter but a laughter I believe only can come from an oud Virgin. What was it in Kastalana that enchanted me? I believe it must be the soul of Oud. I found the same within People’s Silani. Someone with more experience with oud would probably be able to pick out the top, heart and base notes as well as origins just like a nez would do in a perfume. I wont even try. I could sense it in Kastalana but she also evoked memories and I can sense it in People’s Silani but instead of memories, it keeps grounding me at my feet. You could probably pick it out and tell me that it is not the soul of oud, not all ouds have this but both Kastalana and People’s Silani do.
I will say no more and instead I end with thoughts inside my pondering mind. For those who possesses a prowess for composition in perfumes or music, essential to them must be those who possesses a prowess for the notes. But if the notes themselves have a tune and a life of their own… Oud a creation of earth herself, but who is in need of an alchemist in order for the translation to take place and who can communicate with her throughout the process of bringing her to all humans willing to listen…. I give you and those involved my respect and humble gratitude.
Now that is a perfume within itself. It is awe inspiring, beautifully bright, leathery, slight bright clean musk with a fruited sweetness that reminds me of white grapes bobbing up and down in a cup on pineapple juice.
