u/Big_Objective_8390

I took the plunge and bought the Suyufi out of my first sampler and wanted to share – I love it so much

The oil itself: golden yellow in thin application, chocolate brown in the bottle. Flowing, not waxy.

Opening: soft, almost cool, with a dry-woody base and a clean aldehydic note, but elegantly integrated in a way I haven't really come across before. Nothing barnyard, nothing sharp. Really gentle and balanced but very present the same time.

The image that came to mind: dry laundry powder in grandma's tidy laundry room in combination with the wooden tables and folded laundry. Clean and warm at the same time. Domestic, familiar.

Around 30–60 min in: the aldehydic note actually got stronger after the top notes faded (kind of a "bloom" effect), wood got a bit drier and herbier. And then, out of nowhere, a clear mango note appeared. Ripe, sweet, slightly dried. Brought a subtle fruity freshness and quiet sweetness with it. This is a scent adventure haha.

90+ min: the mango is still there. Didn't expect that kind of persistence from a fruity facet.

Really elegant profile overall – nothing flashy, nothing aggressive. Closer to "quiet luxury" than classic Hindi. But what I love about it is that it has a wonderful edge to it – it's not just smooth and pleasing. There's enough dryness and structure to keep it interesting and give it character. I love it. My favourite so far.

I hope this ist interesting for you people, since it is not oud. It is a very high quality, aged Vetiver, which I adore.

Apparently 30 years old, goopy and almost black in the bottle.

The oil itself: dark green on the dipper, nearly black in the bottle. Thick, goopy consistency.

Opening:

• Hints of aldehydic notes in the background, slightly metallic-cold
• Earthy, like a shovel of dark fertile soil A bit of licorice
• Lots of green tones – not floral, but deep green and alive, like undergrowth or forest floor after rain
• Strong eucalyptic note sitting just under the top notes
• Subtle balsamic-resinous undertone (just barely there, but present)
• The image that came to mind: a small clearing in a thorn thicket, broken by individual rays of light. Safe, warm, sheltered.

Around 30 min in:

the anise/licorice note has come up more, eucalyptus still strong. There's a sweetish, slightly bitter quality on top that I can't quite place – maybe fennel-adjacent? It has perfume-like qualities and fills the room without pushing. I can almost taste it. Masculine edge but somehow rounded at the same time.

Again and again impressed with the layered quality. This doesn't feel like a single material, more like something that composed itself through aging. Doesn't seem to need anything else.

Anyone else explore aged vetivers?

Tried another oud from my sampler today. This one really surprised me. I will quite certainly buy a bottle of that :)

The oil itself: goldenrod yellow, flowing (not waxy).

Opening: soft, almost cool, with a dry-woody base and a clean aldehydic note, but elegantly integrated in a way I haven't really come across before. Nothing barnyard, nothing sharp. Really gentle and balanced. Not what I expected from an Indian oud at all. I expected a slap in my nose but was gently touched instead.

The image that came to mind: dry laundry powder in grandma's tidy laundry room. Clean and warm at the same time. Domestic, familiar and relaxing.

Around 60 min in: the aldehydic note actually got stronger after the top notes faded (kind of a "bloom" effect), wood got a bit drier and herbier. And then a clear mango note appeared. Ripe, sweet, slightly dried. Brought a subtle fruity freshness and quiet sweetness with it. This really suprised me...

120 min: the mango is still there. Didn't expect that kind of persistence from a fruity facet.

Really elegant profile overall. I am really suprised that under this clean woodieness there ist fruitieness waiting. Very very interesting!!

Tried another oud from my vendor today. A 13-year-aged Cambodi. I never used an oil this old to my knowledge. Wanted to share because it's been a really beautiful experience.

The oil itself: golden leaning toward caramel, thick but still flowing. It is not waxy like some other oils I've handled. The color alone made me curious before I even smelled it. I dont know but it looks and smells so tasty, haha.

Opening: deep, dark, caramel-like sweetness with a warm woody base. Dried fruits with honey. Soft, round, almost cuddly. Very light aldehydic background giving it an almost perfume-like quality. It actually feels like wearing a attar rather than a raw oil.

Around 1.5–2 hours in: the heavy sweetness is lifting a bit, and floral notes are coming through. Not a single flower I can name (I'm not great with flowers), more like a meadow.

Really impressed by how layered and integrated this one is Nothing sticks out, everything flows together. I guess this ist the aging.

Definitely starting to understand why people get deep into this hobby. Will follow up with the drydown later.

I just wanted to share my first high quality Oud sampler with you guys. I am more or less a beginner when it comes to oud and right now I feel like an explorer haha. Now the hardest question. Which one to pick?