Khmer Kinam

Love this one from Taha. Khmer Kinam. The aroma of burning Agarwood Chips. So vividly captured. In my opinion, the few Oud Extraits that Taha released over the past several years are just as close as one could get to capturing the aroma of Agarwood in sprayable form, without adultering it with other auxiliary materials. Pure oud, no distractors. Khmer Kinam is all about capturing the red kinam flavor, and of course, what better way to do it than using some high-grade Cambodian oud oils? If I'm not mistaken, Koh Kong 4K is in here. And anyone who was fortunate enough to experience it knows what to expect with this one. This one is quite smoky, but think of none of the smoke accords you might have experienced so far. To me, the smokiness really brings to mind a few smoky Merauke oils I have tried over the years. It opens up like that. Very smoky. A somehow mentholated, slightly camphoric smoke warmed up by a honey-like aroma and a lot of cinnamon. A fiery, red opening. Soon, just underneath, the woody aroma reveals itself already. No funk, no barn here. The most beautiful, antique wood flavor. Imagine an old wooden chest or ancient furniture, but not polished. The red Cambodian facets Taha sought to capture start to reveal as well. Soft milky qualities, rich honey, hot spices, and red berries. All of these flavors embellish the wood. In the later stages, the smoke starts to die down and it settles much like an oud oil, on a bed of sweet oleoresins and ancient-smelling wood. I only wear this one by myself. I tried wearing it out and it just feels like it's being wasted. Some flavors are not meant to be shared or enjoyed on the go. Much like my oud oils, this one is a selfish little pleasure. IG:@memory.of.scents

For Oud lovers this one is a special treat. 2 great ouds blended together that rise and shine and will leave others asking about it . It will rival most of the famous ouds from top houses (mostly located in the Middle East). It shook me when I first smelled it, which I mean in a good way. It has power but it isn't a super-sillage beast. The biggest negative I see with this one is the price. I understand the rarity of the ingredients and the nearly mythic reputation of this house, but its exclusivity is what draws some to the fragrance. I would never pay for the 25ML, although I am not sure it is available anymore in almost any form. I must admit I obtained it because I wondered if the hype of this House is warranted. If you are an Oud connoisseur it might be. I love it, but there are others that are as good or better. Lesson learned.

I’ve smelled it once at a friend’s place. This is unreal. I wanted a bottle so bad but sold out everywhere. The most unique fragrance I’ve tried. There’s a strong fresh strawberry note and cereal note at the opening which is so good. The closest thing I’ve found similar is ajmal dahn Oud Al sham. They are in the same ball park. But agar aura got way better quality and performance. Cost 6 times more tho.