Nha Trang 101

Nha Trang is the pinnacle of oud, this little but super famous region has produced some of the most legendary of oils and the greatest specimens of agarwood and kinam.

It isn't any wonder then that we find that enticing allure of kinam like notes in high end Vietnamese Oudh specimens and what a spectacular aromatic phenomenon it is.

This oil was distilled over a decade ago, somewhere in the heart of Taiwan. Nha Trang and Vietnamese oud in general are the most beloved to the people of Taiwan. For them this is the most prized of agarwood and the penultimate region for collectors.

The creation of artisanal oud is a product of passion & meticulous craftsmanship, but to capture and convey a kinam like aroma is a specialised skill known to few.

Kinamic oils do not convey the full spectrum of kinam, however, no oud oil can capture the complexity & beauty of gently heated oud wood. Oils are a practical and convenient way to experience part of the oud spectrum without the hassle of burning wood and incense sticks. 

So then what does this oil represent?

Unlike many other kinamic oils, this oil conveys much more than just a kinam like aroma. Rather this oil is akin to a composed and well rounded vintage south East Asian oud oil, it has the layers of fruits, honey and the core of a high grade oud. 

This oil elegantly balances the two different components at play, that of the refined kinam like notes and that of the traditional dark fruit laden Vietnamese oud. To balance two competing aromas is a rare feat among even high grade oud oils.

Incense like oils often focus on just that aroma of a light burn of agarwood, whereas traditional oils tend to convey the aromas their regions are known for, whether that be a light or dark fruity aroma; an animalic barn like scent or a petrichor and green aroma.

Oud oil is ever so complex and our words can never do an oil justice, oils as great as the zenith collection are something to be experienced and collected. This is the way that the tradition of oud thrives, when we look beyond marketing and descriptions and focus on the acquiring and collecting gems for their wonderful aromas and their uniqueness both in terms of aroma and origin.

For us this is where oud differs to traditional fragrance collecting. Fragrance is often focused on acquiring what one likes in the aroma, projection and brand name. The reasoning is often not as pure as that for oud.

Oud is to be admired and understood, it is a process that takes time as we often learn to appreciate nuances further down the line that we may not have realised when first acquiring an oil.

If we were to think of it as art, watches or cigars - where we have little control over the creative process - yet continue to collect our passion for reasons known only to us even if the pieces are not exactly to our fantasies and dreams.

We take this approach to oud, the search of great oud often begins with little known about the aroma, it begins with conversations in search of the highest grade, oldest and rarest oils known. It is difficult to convey the aroma over words and across different languages and cultures, rather it is something we must experience and learn to understand.

Nha Trang 101 is a vintage collectible, this precious and limited oil was distilled from wood that is simply scarce today, wood which we wouldn't even dream of using for oils.

In the past the quality of wood used for oils would far eclipse the wood generally used today, were we to replicate these vintage distillations today, the oils might easily cost ten fold what they are today. So now that we've explained its rarity and uniqueness let's talk about the aroma.

The opening of this scent is not overtly kinamic, rather there are notes of fruits & honey,  whispering through these notes is the calming medicinal kinam like aroma, it is so beautifully composed together that one cannot quite distinguish where the kinam stops and where the fruits begin. As the oil winds down, the kinamic notes shine through in what can best be described as a sweet kinamic dry down.