Al Kinam

Al Hashimi is the preeminent source for the most opulent Artisanal Oud oils in the world.  The epicentre of oud-oils-as-scent is the Middle East and specifically in the Gulf with the advent of fabulous crude oil-based wealth.  Our aesthetic is based on the traditional scents of the Gulf. 

Online Artisanal Oud aficionados speak about Kinam oud oils in reverential tones, but this awe doesn’t extend outside a relatively small circle.  Given our aesthetic preference, we have never sold a Kinam oud oil, although some of our oils like the sublime Maroke Sultani for example, do exhibit Kinam -like notes.  For a full-on Kinam oud to ever be considered by us, it would have to be truly exceptional and a shade or two beyond what is out there.

When I first came across this oil, it was a nondescript sample vial sent by our distiller who had it in his possession for decades.  This one was a 1993 vintage of Sumatran provenance. I took one look at the translucent amber oil and thought “top note heavy - possibly fractionated - we’re not interested” and moved onto the other vintage oil sent alongside it. 

After a week I returned to the box and just for the learning experience, I decided to give it a swipe.  Although it wasn’t a top note fractionated oil, the first few seconds were underwhelming and confirmed my initial suspicions and I dismissed it as an oil not befitting the Al Hashimi label. Or perhaps my subconscious bias had already categorised this oil as not worthy?

My dismissive attitude didn’t last more than a minute as I was suddenly hit with the most intense and luxurious warm amber Kinam note.  I was really confused.  Was this some residual Kinam scent wafting from a swipe of my personal collection of vintage Kinam oils?  No. That thought itself was a measure of my bewilderment as they are untouched and kept in a storage box in another room.  But was this unrelenting powdery and velvety Kinam mist really coming from that tiny sample vial?  I applied another swipe.   Surely the smell couldn’t be coming from the sample???   To my astonishment and delight it really was! 

I must have spent hours with the sample after this to make sure I wasn’t experiencing some sort of olfactory hallucination.  Olfactory memory can be very deceptive too, so I brought out my personal vintage Scent Legends Kinam collection and expected to be brought back down to earth in my excitement, but to my genuine astonishment this sample blew away all my historical favourites of the past 15 years.  When it comes to Kinam oud oils, this is the real deal for sure if there ever was one.  There was only one name I could bestow on this oud.  It is the grandaddy of Kinam oud oils and so Al Kinam that translates into The Kinam is the only name that was does justice to this stupendous oud oil.

Available in 0.5g, 1g and 2.5g quantities