Rasasi and Oud – A celebration of rich Arabic tradition & heritage

DUBAI- The exercise of choosing a fragrance that suits one’s tastes is no longer a simple task, considering that the market is flooded with thousands of perfumes with as many variants. This is especially true of Middle East which remains amongst the most valued perfume markets in the world boasting customers that are completely fascinated with perfumes and fragrances.

However, for Arabs, one perfume has been part of their folklore and legacy since time immemorial. And it is not a hard guess for anyone – for the first thing your sense of smell picks up in an Arab house is the heady aroma of Oud wafting in the air.

Oud, which simply means wood in Arabic, is considered as a supreme fragrance in the Gulf and Arab region. It is burned as a mark of respect and hospitality and is a traditional gesture of welcoming and honoring guests.

Rasasi Perfumes, one of the leading names in the regional perfumery landscape –offers a wide array of Oud-based fragrances in the form of finished sprays. The highly coveted Red & Blue variants of Al Oudh Al Mumaiz, and Oudh Siufi amongst others remain all-time favourites with distinguished Emarati, Khaleeji and Arab customers. Dhan Al Oudh Al Safwa and Dhan Al Oud Al Nokhba are other highly popular products. Rasasi Oud spray collection is also finding favour with other nationalities like Russians and Chinese who are drawn by the sensuous mystique of the fragrance.

Apart from the finished sprays, Rasasi has a wide array of concentrated fragrance oils. Rasasi Mukhallats and Dhanal Oud products are hugely patronized by the regional royalty, high-end customers and connoisseurs of perfumes who will settle for nothing less than the magic of Oud in its much purer, warmer and long lasting form.

The concentrated Oud oil is often blended with an array of rich floral, musk, myrrh, sandalwood and spicy notes to enhance its properties and accord it a mesmerizing, enthralling and intriguingly lingering effect that is highly sought-out by the Arabian men and women. Rasasi concentrated oil collection is a heady mix, offering a wide array of accords ranging from the sensuous steam-smoky woody, fruity, lathery, gourmand spicy to sweet-ambery-spicy and many more, customized to suit the very discerning of tastes in oriental perfumery.

The key to enjoying splash perfumes is patience. It is a very different experience than spraying a finished spray and getting a burst of top notes. It takes time but the effect is always worth the wait. It should be gently rubbed onto the skin particularly at pulse points, behind the ears, sides of the neck and is also worn on the ankles by many women. The oil needs time to get absorbed into the skin. The high temperature of these body points helps the perfume reach its magical bloom.

The concentrated oils make a perfect base for layering, a highly practiced art in the Arabic culture. The Arabic men and women have mastered the art of creating their own scent signature through putting layers of many different perfumes. A scent is not good enough, if it doesn’t leave a unique lingering trail.

“The understanding of perfume and its use is highly evolved and very unique to the Arabic culture. Arabs use their perfumes like no other people. Most create their own smells through blending and our Oud collection, sprays and concentrated oils, is in high demand for its unmatchable high quality. Our Mukhallat and Dhan Al Oud range is in line with our deep understanding of the regional culture and tradition for Oud. Often customers blend many of our perfumes and oils together to create a unique signature perfume,” said Salim Kalsekar, Managing Director, Rasasi Perfumes.

Derived from the Agarwood tree, Oud is formed when the agar tree becomes infected by a fungus. It is believed that it takes as long as 300 years for the fungus to spread through the bark of the tree. Having gained a reputation for sophistication, with a fragrance that has gained international desirability, certain variations of the product can be sold for astonishingly high prices.

“Oud is a particular favourite during Ramadhan and Eid period as it is natural. Rasasi has many loyal customers who are regular buyers of our products but the demand soars as we approach Ramadhan and Eid. We need to scale-up our stocks and replenish frequently to meet the consumer demand. We have recently added new perfumes to our concentrated oils range which have been very well received,” added Mr. Kalsekar.

The new fragrances, appealing to both men and women with a vintage chic, are a part of Rasasi’s commitment to further strengthen the rich Oud tradition in the region and to launch products in line with customer needs and satisfaction.