Pure, undiluted oud oil is remarkably stable and does not go rancid the way a food oil would, and generally improves with age instead. Oud that has been diluted into a carrier oil, however, can be affected by that carrier oil ageing over time, even if the oud itself is fine.

Pure Oud vs Diluted Blends

The resinous, aromatic compounds in genuine distilled oud are naturally resistant to the kind of oxidation that spoils typical vegetable or carrier oils. But many commercial oud products are cut with a carrier such as jojoba or a synthetic base to make them more affordable and easier to apply, and it is this carrier that can eventually turn, giving an otherwise stable oud a stale or off note over time.

How to Tell

A sour, greasy or “off” smell that wasn’t there originally points to the carrier rather than the oud itself. Proper storage away from heat and light slows this considerably. This is exactly why buying a diluted oud from a seller who is vague or evasive about the carrier oil used is worth being cautious about. Our complete guide to oud and guide to storing perfume both cover this, alongside our complete guide to perfume.