Oud: From Tree to Bottle

How oud is harvested, and what sets each kind apart. Oud is a resin that forms inside an aquilaria tree after it is wounded, and it takes years for the wood to saturate. It is then cut into chips that are burned directly, or steam distilled into an oil. The difference between Cambodian and Hindi is not quality but character: the first is sweeter and softer, the second deeper and smokier.