Oud Isa

The creamy, toffee-meets-barnyard character of Meghalayan oud got me super curious back in 2007 when I saw how it breathed new life into more common Assam profiles.

Greater discrimination in the raw materials, less soaking and a slightly higher cooking temperature gave birth to my second Maghalayan production: Assam Kinam (2008). When I got this oil, I was struck dumb by the sweet, almost Cambodi-like profile.

Further tweaks, a few debates with the distiller down the line and we got Oud Isa, the predecessor to Oud Nuh (2009). I could see the Meghalayan hue transmute from Cambodi to Bornean fruit right under my nostrils. Yet all the while, the same signature Meghalayan temperament permeating each batch.

The inspiration for naming Oud Nuh came from the timelessness of the scent. With Oud Isa, its gentleness. Known for being a meeting place on the note scale between Bornean and Cambodian, Oud Nuh is undoubtedly the mildest, fruitiest, most subdued, most unusual Hindi anyone’s tried. But Oud Isa… even more so.

Don’t imagine that you’ll find another Hindi that matches the honeyed heart notes in Oud Isa. Even Oud Nuh’s mellow appeal is slightly smokier compared to the sweetness of Oud Isa. Even the airiest Borneo has to fight hard to compete with its liveliness; the fruitiest Cambodi has to dig deep.

To the Western palate, Oud Isa might well be the most sensual of all ouds – more so than even the most playful Indonesian ones. Mulberries dipped in Hadrami honey, dressed in a soft shade of suede, poised and self-assured, a two-step waltz between a woman and her man. Oud Isa is all charm.

Soft woods and plums, caramel-cream, figs and toffee, wild berries, farmhouse haystacks, honey and honey and honey. Steadily the scent then starts to hint at a delicate floral bouquet dawning from behind the soft-spice, Hindi top notes – the likes of which you won’t find in Oud Nuh, or in any Cambodi, or in any Borneo.

Only in mature Indian oud do so many different notes dance so tightly together. This is why it’s the pinnacle of the spectrum; why, for so many who’ve spent some years exploring oud, Indian oud waits at the end of the road. Oud Isa accentuates the already sacred aroma of Indian oud to reveal a fragrant plateau you’ve not stepped foot on before this.

If you missed out on Oud Nuh, get Oud Isa. If you didn’t miss out on Oud Nuh, definitely get Oud Isa.

Note: Oud Isa is available for a limited time only. For anyone in love Oud al Hindi, this is a must-have textbook reference.

Even Oud Nuh’s mellow appeal is slightly smokier compared to the sweetness of Oud Isa. Even the airiest Borneo has to fight hard to compete with its liveliness; the fruitiest Cambodi has to dig deep. To the Western palate, Oud Isa might well be the most