Agarwood oil — oud oil — is the most concentrated form of the wood's aroma, and the market most flooded with imitations. This guide explains how genuine oil is made and how to buy with confidence.
Updated 2026-10-12 · Wubaiyi Agarwood (伍佰艺沉香), Hainan plantations & Beijing flagship store
Genuine oil is produced by distilling agarwood chips or powder, traditionally with water or steam distillation. It takes a large quantity of wood to produce a small volume of oil, which is why prices per millilitre are high and rise with wood quality.
| Claim | What it usually means |
|---|---|
| 'Wild' oud oil | Rare and expensive; verify provenance |
| Cultivated-origin oil | From plantation wood; legitimate and CITES-documented |
| 'Super' / 'AAA' grades | Marketing terms with no standard definition |
| Blended oil | Mixed with carrier oil or other materials |
The paper test: a drop of real oil on unscented paper still smells complex after 24 hours; synthetics fade or turn harsh.
Buy small first. Choose sellers who disclose the wood origin and distillation method, provide CITES documentation where applicable, and welcome sampling. Our oils come from cultivated, legally sourced agarwood — the only kind we sell.
Distillation consumes a large amount of wood for a small volume of oil; combined with rising wood costs, genuine oil cannot be cheap.
Genuine oil evolves over many hours — often a full day on paper. Synthetic fakes usually fade within an hour or two.
Not necessarily. Legally cultivated, documented wood produces legitimate oil — and it is the responsible choice for protected wild resources.