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5 Most expensive essential oils

Throughout history, gathering from nature and creating extractions for medicinal purposes has been a way humans have sought to cure themselves of ailments and illness. Essential oils, containing the aroma of a particular fruit or plant, have been in use since the 13th century. These volatile oils were used primarily in medicine.

Aromatherapy and the extracts use has increased and now we find them in cosmetics, perfumes, soaps and many other products, even as flavouring foods and drinks.

Cannabis Flower Essential Oil

Now here’s an interesting one, the Cannabis Flower essential oil, also known as hemp essential oil. It’s main use is in cosmetics, perfumes, soaps and candles for its pleasant, relaxing smell. It’s used as well to flavor some foods or beverages.

The plant itself, though is known to have medicinal uses, like alleviating inflammations, skin irritations or hormonal imbalances, it’s highly regulated so growing it in many parts of the world is illegal. That’s what makes it very popular to some and the oil extracted from it so expensive with a price of $946 per ounce.

Frangipani Absolute Oil

The Frangipani flower is a rare species, found only on the Comoros Islands in France. The oil extract is very thick and has an intense sweet floral fragrance, with hints of exotic spices, making it a main component of high class perfumery.

Besides perfumes, the Frangipani Absolute Essential oil has medicinal uses as well, reducing stress and inflammations. The price for an ounce of this oil reaches a staggering $1,482

Tuberose Absolute Oil

The Tuberose is a perennial plant cultivated in Mexico with extracts of it used in perfumery. Its oil is extracted by infusing the petals in palm oil, separated afterwards from the tuberose essence through the process of evaporation.

The Tuberose Absolute Essential oil is considered a luxurious oil and it’s used in aromatherapy for or in fragrances. The relaxation properties make it a great help against insomnia, though some use it for inspiration purposes and even as an aphrodisiac. Whatever the use, make sure it’s worth it, since an ounce of this oil costs a great $1,645.

Champaca Absolute Oil

Used for centuries as a great way to cure depression and relieve stress, vertigo or headaches, the Champaca Absolute Essential Oils seems to be one of the best when it comes to medicinal purposes. It has regenerative properties, helping with wounds from acne, spots, wrinkles and complexions.

Its powerful citrus and floral scent is much appreciated in India and parts of Asia where it is also used as a perfume and as a powerful aphrodisiac. A very expensive one, since the price per ounce is a staggering $2,256, making it the most expensive essential oils in the world.

Agarwood Absolute Oil

The Agarwood Essential oil, also known as Oud oil, it’s an extremely rare and much appreciated oil for its great aroma and medicinal uses. As the name states, it’s extracted from the agarwood, which is listed as a potential threatened species, making it one of the most expensive raw materials in the world.

The trees require a long time to grow and they’re found only in isolated regions of countries like The Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, India, Bhutan, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and a few others. The sweet, woody fragrance of the oil is praised so much that the price for an ounce of this oil goes to $4,850.

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Oud Oil as the most expensive oil product on earth.

Due to over-harvesting of entire forests as well as the incredibly labor intensive process of artisan distillation, 2012 retail prices around the globe have increased significantly and are generally US$8,000-US$32,000 and up for a kilogram of Aloeswood chips and anywhere from US$8,000-US$61,000 for a single litre of pure Aloeswood Oil. Difficult to believe, but it happens every day on the world markets.

The Aquilaria species is native to India, Thailand, Vietnam, China, Cambodia, Borneo, Laos, Pakistan, Indonesia, Burma, New Guinea, Malaysia, and Philippines.

The Oudh we source is artisanally distilled in Assam from Aquilaria Agallocha. Since ancient times, Assam was the richest area of natural occurring Agarwood trees. There are 15 species of Aquilaria in the world but only 8 produce resin in response to a fungal attack.

This ‘Wood and Oil of the Gods’ is also called: oudh, oud, aoud, ud, agar, aloes, agarwood, aloeswood, gaharu, kyara, eaglewood, bois d’aigle, kinam, telugu, aguru, agaru, jinkoh, chien-xiang, tram huong, cham heong, sasi, sashi, akil, mai kritsana and mai ketsana.

Then there is the tale of a wealthy Japanese businessman who is said to have purchased two exquisite pieces of Aloeswood suitable for sculpture and paid the equivalent of US$100,000 for one of the pieces and US$272,000 for the other. Can this be true?

The aroma of Oudh is deeply spiritual in nature and connects us with our ancient past. Oudh is used around the world for religious occasions by Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Sufi, Shinto and Japanese Shamanic as well as others.

It is written in the Qur’an that Aloeswood contains 7 cures, and it is known to be the Biblical ahaloth [aloes] of King Solomon in the Old Testament ‘Song of Solomon’ written more than 30 centuries ago. There are many who believe a cutting of the Aloeswood tree was taken by Adam from the Garden of Eden. The facts will forever remain a great mystery of history.

Oudh was used by the Prophet of Islam [peace be upon him], and he praised it as one of the three most beloved things the worldly life had to offer.

Oudh was praised by the Buddha as being ‘the scent of Nirvana’ and is mentioned in the third century Chinese chronicle Nan Zhou Yi Wu Zhi.

It is known that the Japanese Samurai warriors scented their armor with Agarwood smoke for protection before going into battle and King Louis XIV of France had his shirts washed only in water that had previously been used to boil Agarwood.

The People of the Gulf States are said to always seek the absolute best quality Oudh aroma profiles but are not always so highly concerned whether it’s natural or synthetic in purity, although alcohol is totally forbidden by religion. Traditionally, culturally and religiously, both the oil and the wood have been revered for many centuries. Used in Holy ceremonies and still considered Holy in this modern day.

Our Oudh is always 100% pure and natural and is appropriate and acceptable for use in religious purposes and holy occasions.

In the New Testament of the Christian Bible it is written that Aloes and Myrrh of ‘one hundred weight’ were brought to Nicodemus to be used in the tomb to anoint the body of the Christian Savior Jesus Christ,, and a legend says that Aloeswood was burned at the funeral of Jesus.

From the 5000 year old Sanskrit Bhagavata Purana:

‘The men and women of the city, arrayed in spotless raiment and anointed with fragrant sandalwood paste, wore precious necklaces, flower garlands and jeweled ornaments, and their opulent homes were filled with the aroma of Aguru.’

Given the significance of this exalted substance in the world religious and cultural traditions, the history of this substance speaks volumes before you ever smell it. For millennia, people have felt a deep spiritual attraction to Oudh and realize they must acquire some.

Although there are a number of high-end Western perfumes and colognes available today with ‘Oudh’ in their name, most of them contain very little true Aloeswood/Agarwood oil. In others, the Oudh contained is synthetic, and some are Oudh in name only, containing no Aloeswood/Agarwood oil at all, either natural or synthetic. Among others, the world famous luxury fragrances Zeenat and Amouage do indeed contain the precious Aloeswood/Agarwood oil.

Oudh is an somewhat of an acquired taste. It’s aroma is virtually unknown to the Western nose but the Eastern nose is well educated.

In modern times, the Ayurvedic, Tibetan, Arabic, Unani and Traditional Chinese Medical practices use Aloeswood oil and Aloeswood in various ways such as for certain medical remedies and even to treat particular diseases. It is used as a light sedative to calm the mind and spirit, relax the nervous system, relieve emotional anxieties and mental illness and invoke a sense of peace, strength and serenity, enhance cerebral functioning, purify the liver and balance the organs, treat insomnia, digestive ailments and abdominal problems,, certain obsessive behaviors, relieve pain, sore throat, vomiting, increase alertness, expel negative energies and open the upper chakras.

In addition to the warming qualities and medical properties of Agarwood/Aloeswood, it is also known as an aphrodisiac and is still used today in various gourmet culinary preparations.

To the uninitiated nose, Oudh can sometimes overwhelm the senses but those potent initial notes are only the 1st movement of a concerto of ancient aroma profiles that resonate in a pure Oudh. We’re quite pleased with the potency, tenacity and aroma profiles of both of our currently available Assam oils [1A and AA].

In wearing a “deep dark resonating oudh with a nice bit of barnyardy at first swipe” such as the Assam Oudhs [which I personally favor] only a tiny amount is used at a time, unless you’re making a bold statement [which we also favor].

Expect the aroma profile of the Hindi Assam Oudh to last for 8-12 hours on skin, depending on physical activity and body chemistry of the person wearing it, and generally lasting for 15+ days on cloth.

Oudh is worn worldwide by men and women alike. It is one of the true natural wonders given to mankind and should be experienced by the connoisseur, the person of Spirituality, and all who are serious about Aromatherapy.