Hydro distillation is one of the most traditional methods for extracting oud oil from agarwood. This method involves boiling agarwood chips in water and collecting the condensed essential oil through a cooling system.
Step-by-Step Process
1️⃣ Selection & Preparation of Agarwood
- High-quality agarwood chips or powder are selected.
- The wood is soaked in water for at least 7 to 15 days to soften the resinous content.
2️⃣ Hydro Distillation Setup
- The soaked agarwood is placed in a distillation vessel filled with water.
- Heat is applied to slowly boil the mixture, releasing aromatic compounds.
3️⃣ Steam & Oil Separation
- As the water heats up, steam carries essential oil from the agarwood.
- The steam passes through a condenser, where it cools and turns back into liquid.
4️⃣ Oil Collection & Filtration
- The mixture of water and oil is collected in a separator.
- The oil, being lighter, floats on top and is carefully separated.
- Further filtration may be done to remove impurities.
5️⃣ Aging & Quality Enhancement
- The extracted oud oil is left to age for months to develop a richer, deeper aroma.
- This aging process increases the complexity and market value of the oil.
Advantages of Hydro Distillation
✅ Traditional method – Used for centuries, preserving natural oud profiles.
✅ Lower operational cost – Requires minimal advanced machinery.
✅ Sustainable approach – Can be done at small-scale and large-scale levels.
Challenges
⚠️ Long extraction time – Takes several days to complete.
⚠️ Lower yield – Compared to supercritical CO₂ extraction, hydro distillation may yield less oud oil.
⚠️ Quality variation – Oil quality depends on wood selection and distillation skill.