Billions and Billions and Billions A few weeks back, I clicked on a link that would let me in on an investment opportunity that’s taken the world by storm. Those who invested as little as $500 just a couple of years ago were now multimillionaires, and apparently I’d missed THE greatest investment opportunity of my […]
I just returned from visiting my lifelong teacher, and the man I consider the greatest oud distiller alive. He asked how my work is going and I told him about our People’s Series, or rather the idea of making oud ‘cheap again.’ He cracked up, confused at how we plan to make oud cheaper when the […]
You might have heard the gossip. All that End of Oud talk of ours is bogus. Just a marketing ploy, they say. Oud is abundant and here to stay, they say. You see their campaign slogans everywhere: Democratize, and Make Oud Cheap Again! But you know what? Oud has never been cheap. When we first helped pioneer authentic […]
“It Just Works” Back in the day, I was looking for a dedicated MP3 player. Sound quality and durability were the main things I was after. It didn’t matter which brand, as long as it was not Apple. No way I was buying an iPod. I used to look for recommendations on sites like “anything but Apple” […]
“Senkoh” is a word I learned from David Oller (Baieido’s US representative) way back in the day. I used to have these phone conversations with him where he’d explain how they identified kinam, the molecular structure vs normal agarwood, the definitions of “jinkoh” and “senkoh” etc. According to Dave, “senkoh” is one level up from […]
We were in for quite a shock recently. We distilled Santal Royale four years ago. Since then some things have changed. To distill the same caliber oil from our 70’s granules today will now cost us double what it did in 2013. Now that our bangles (carved from the same wood) are sold out and the granules […]
“One should not get distracted by mails while driving – got literally excited when I saw Oud Royale 1985 on sale and drove a bit faster to get home. Unfortunately, the police didn’t share my passion, I got stopped and received a hefty $450 fine. Check attachment. (Should have sent you the bill for having […]
My wife and I just finished sampling all the vials and they are simply exquisite. We started on Valentine’s Day and did one a day for the next nine days. Cracking open a vial, discovering each fascinating new aroma, applying it and inhaling the intoxicating smell all evening long became a rather enjoyable ritual for […]
Seng had impeccable work ethic. When you talked to him his eyes were calm, his physiognomy gentle. But as you watched his firm jawline tighten, the veins bulging along his neck, the intensity of his facial expressions when engaged even in the most mundane task, you saw a man of zen and single-minded focus. Watching him […]
