Oud Kinam

Dmitry Bortnikoff has once again proven his mastery in crafting olfactory art with Oud Kinam, a fragrance that seamlessly blends opulence and sophistication. This 2024 release is a rich and powerful composition, showcasing the rare and revered Kinam oud, intertwined with the unique Afghan rose and a subtle coffee note, accented by multiple high-quality ouds. The result is a fragrance that exudes elegance, depth, and a commanding presence, perfect for the seasoned fragrance enthusiast. At the heart of Oud Kinam lies Kinam oud, a variety of agarwood primarily sourced from China (and sometimes Vietnam), renowned as the pinnacle of oud quality. Unlike typical agarwood, Kinam contains oil throughout its trunk without requiring damage to the tree, making it exceptionally rare and valuable. Historically used in traditional Chinese medicine for its calming and medicinal properties, Kinam oud offers a complex profile—woody, resinous, slightly sweet, and with a distinctive green, almost minty sharpness that sets it apart from other ouds. In Oud Kinam, Bortnikoff employs Kinam alongside Chinese Zozan and Thai Khao Yai ouds, creating a multi-faceted base that is smoky, earthy, and slightly medicinal, yet surprisingly refined. The Afghan rose, another star of this composition, brings a fresh and modern twist to the fragrance. Cultivated on former opium poppy fields through an international drug eradication program, this rose is grown in Afghanistan’s unique soil and climate, resulting in a scent that diverges from traditional rose fragrances. It’s vivid, slightly green, and carries a delicate, rosewater-like freshness with a hint of tartness, adding a lively contrast to the deep oud base. This rose shines brightly in the heart of the fragrance for about 90 minutes before gently fading, leaving a lasting impression of elegance. The fragrance opens with a burst of bitter orange and bergamot, providing a sharp, citrusy lift that sets the stage for the heart notes of Afghan rose, Ethiopian coffee, and a duo of Madagascar and Papua New Guinea vanillas. The coffee is subtle, contributing an earthy, slightly roasted nuance rather than a bold latte-like sweetness. The vanilla, far from cloying, offers a creamy, slightly bitter support that enhances the oud’s natural sweetness in the drydown. The base, dominated by the trio of ouds, is where Oud Kinam truly shines, delivering a smoky, woody depth that lingers beautifully. Despite its oud-forward nature, Oud Kinam is remarkably wearable, avoiding the challenging barnyard or overly pungent qualities sometimes associated with oud fragrances. It’s not for beginners—its complexity and intensity demand a more experienced nose to fully appreciate its nuances. With above-average longevity (lasting all day) and moderate sillage (projecting well without overwhelming), it creates a special aura, evoking a sense of sophistication and zen-like calm. Users note its airy, non-dense feel, with some detecting hints of guaiac wood or sandalwood-like facets, likely from the Kinam oud’s unique profile. Priced at $400 for a 50ml bottle or $97 for a 9ml travel size, Oud Kinam reflects its use of rare, natural ingredients and Bortnikoff’s artisanal craftsmanship. While some may find the price steep for a relaxing scent, its high-quality composition and unique character make it a masterpiece for oud lovers seeking a refined, memorable fragrance. This is not just a perfume—it’s an experience that transports you to a realm of elegance and serenity. Rating: 10/10 – A sophisticated, oud-centric gem that balances power and wearability, perfect for those who appreciate the artistry of niche perfumery.

beautiful combination of oud, vanilla and rose. when i spray it i get the combination of bitter beautiful bergamot that i rarely experience is other scents and slight orange mixed with cinnamon and a woody smoky oud that also has a creamy and herbal/slightly green facet to it . there is some vanilla in the background that can also be felt . it takes a few minutes in to get the rose vividly and the rose is the rose water fresh kind of rose, very delicate and lively and the combination of this rose with the smoky woody oud with some supporting vanilla is absolutely divine( I do get some bakery aromas here too, like baked bread) .the rose lasts for around 90 minutes then fades away. the vanilla here is slightly sweet and bitter at the same time, far faaaar different than your typical niche vanillin that is stomach turning and sweet. in the dry down i get the the dry slightly herbal smoky oud that became slightly sweeter ( i read that kinam oud becomes vanillic and sweet in the dry down) with some vanilla that adds slight creamy feel to the scent also acts as a supporting sweetness. i don't get the coffee though, the scent has slight earthy quality to it and maybe thats coming from coffee but no way i could tell there is coffee in this fragrance without looking at the notes. i have one issue with this scent however, it got a light and airy feel to it next to the other bortnikoffs that i tested, there is no dense feeling to the scent at all. also the projection is close( a few cm) for 2 hours then becomes skin scent for the next 10 hours, so the longevity is very good but the projection lacks but i personally don't care about projection with natural perfumes. overall a lovely scent, full bottle worthy imo.

Green rose oud with coffee opening together with bitte orange. Oud profile is different. Which is creamy soft and less pungent. The rose note is so gren that I found tea note within. Very refreshing!. I even found Guaiac wood and sandalwood notes in it. Maybe it is because of the Kinam or Chinese hainan oud profile not necessarily they're Guaiac wood or sandalwood or tea notes. Very interesting, wearable, elegant, zen and relaxing. Not the typical on your face oud fragrance. Although the high price end for a relaxing scence for me is not worthy. I would pay even less for a pure sandalwood Mysore oil or Guaiac wood or whatever lotus scents instead for the need of relax (personally). Each one pay what they consider worthy of their need. Anyway it is still all natural high end qualitied perfume. Or, I would choose mysterious oud which is much cheaper but with the same relaxing effect without being pungent.

This is a reference cooling kinam scent.

Lovely light woody aromatic chypre that is familiar but eminently wearable. The scent opens with notes of citruses and goes to a lovely heart of rose, vanilla and coffee before settling into a woody Oud base accentuated with slight Kinam Oud. The natural scent has moderate projection and good longevity. It is beautifully blended as expected, but also is not a heavy hitter and can be worn comfortably in modern settings. Enjoy!

Oud,vanilla and coffee are the key players.Dark kind of blend.As someone mentioned below it does have a burnt smoky feel but it’s kind of intoxicating for advanced perfume lovers.Rose is there but very muted.Not challenging by any means.

Citrus opening with burnt vanilla in mid and woody dry down. Typical Bortnikoff style DNA

Not really getting the rose nor the vanilla, even the oud is not ouding—It's majorly overshadowed by an annoying burnt-caramel smell similarly featured in Chypre du Nord & Sayat Nova 🙄 Even though it's more palatable than those two, I was hoping for an attar style fragrance that highlights the distinctive Kinam, instead I'm met with just another "oud perfume"... Sometimes less is more 😞

Ugh, another mediocre Oud rose vanilla. Kinda sad that he took some amazing oud and turned it into something that smells like a million other oud rose vanilla frags, at least it’s not as sweet as many others in this played out genre.

From what I've read, Chinese Kinam is a clone of the original subspecies, which may or may not be classified as the Japanese Kyara that's usually defined by grade & smell instead of origin (even though it's mostly Vietnamese).

Sweet rose washed out woods... Bitter, rosy, Woody, peppery blend with bergamot! I don't know! it is kind of chaos.

Oud Kinam from Thailand-based Bortnikoff Niche/Indie Haute Luxury Perfumery House is a Unisex Oriental Citrus 'Oud Woody Floral Vanilla Perfume. This is a brand new fragrance which has launched at the end of 2024; and the perfumer who signs this fragrance is the Russian Dmitry Bortinikov. Centered on the Chinese 'Oud Kinam (also called Kyara in Japan), where medicinal woody green, slightly spicy citrus and earthy bitter camphor facets. A dark green and subtly smoky, woody and medicinal natural oud that conveys sophistication and elegance. The other protagonist here is a fleshy, fruity Afghan rose grown in old poppy fields. An extremely photorealistic 'Oud & Rose. It is not a masterpiece and is not even among the best perfumes ever made by Bortinikov, but it is a great perfume of vanilla pink 'oud with very high quality ingredients. An ephemeral opening with bergamot and the bitterness of a sweet and sour orange give a slightly crisp and clean exit, while quickly entering the center of this composition comes a complex blend of a delicious, exotic and palatable Afghan rose reminding me of the acidic fruity green freshness of a delicious bunch of red fruits blending with the toasted sweetness of a duet of dark vanillas and a fine mist of roasted coffee adding more flavor to perfume. Luckily, a rich blend of Chinese ouds removes any possibility of the fragrance flirting with gourmand. With its rich and opulent infusion of 'ouds and roses, this fragrance transcends traditional boundaries, offering a harmonious fusion of enchanting floral and woody tones. Delicious fragrance with a moderate to higher performance. Top Notes: Bergamot, Bitter Orange. Middle Notes: Rose Of Afghanistan, Vanilla Of Madagascar, Vanilla Of Papua New Guinea, Coffee Of Ethiopia. Base Notes: 'Oud Kinam (China), 'Oud Zozan (China), 'Oud Khao Yai (Thailand).

The orange and bergamot scents with the coffee ruined the aroma of the incense sticks. Furthermore, the Kinam incense sticks are from southern Vietnam, not China, and their scent is well-known. Here, they were mixed with Zuzan incense sticks and Khao Yai incense sticks, but none of them showed up! The performance is a disaster.

Very dry and the type that really pushes up in your nostrils that triggers a headache. I mean, wood, coffee and rose are very dry and the vanilla here doesn't really help to balance this. The scent itself is the typical rose and oud combo.

Green tea, bitter, slightly heated oud, chamomille and a lactonic creaminess. Very green with a high quality oud profile. It does really focus on the oud with minimal intervention from other notes.

since when the imitated oud from china can be called kinam? kinam is the legendary mutant oud from Vietnam, the king of Agarwood, that why it's called kinam.