The Heritage
The Story of The House of Oud
The House of Oud (THoO) is an Italian niche perfume house that places agarwood at the heart of every composition. Since its launch in 2016, the brand has built a catalogue that pairs the deep, resinous character of oud with contemporary accords, offering scents that feel both rooted and forward‑looking. THoO’s releases, from the early Crop series to recent releases such as Ruby Red, demonstrate a consistent curiosity about how traditional Middle‑Eastern material can converse with modern perfumery language.
Heritage
The story of THoO begins with a friendship that crossed continents. In 2016, Andrea Casotti, an Italian master perfumer, met Mohammed Abu Nashi, an oud specialist based in Jakarta. Their shared fascination with agarwood sparked a collaboration that combined Casotti’s training in European fragrance houses with Abu Nashi’s deep knowledge of traditional oud sourcing and processing. The partnership was announced in several niche perfume blogs and confirmed by The Perfume Society, which described the brand as born of that cross‑cultural dialogue. Early releases – Golden Powder, Dates Delight, and the first Crop (2016) – showcased the duo’s intent to treat oud as a versatile ingredient rather than a background note. By 2018, THoO expanded its narrative with The Time, Just Before, and Live In Colors, each adding a new facet to the brand’s evolving palette. The 2021 Crop edition and the 2022 Ruby Red further cemented the house’s reputation for iterative development, revisiting core themes while introducing fresh twists. Throughout its history, THoO has remained a small‑scale operation, preferring limited production runs that allow close monitoring of quality. The brand’s growth has been documented in independent fragrance forums and YouTube review channels, which note the consistent release schedule and the steady refinement of its olfactory identity. While the house does not claim industry awards, its presence in niche perfume round‑ups and its inclusion in curated lists of notable oud‑centric fragrances attest to its impact within the community.
Craftsmanship
Production at THoO begins with the selection of raw agarwood chips, which are sourced from suppliers in Indonesia and Malaysia who follow age‑old tapping and curing practices. The house reportedly prefers wood that has undergone natural fermentation, a process that deepens the resin’s complexity before distillation. Once the raw material arrives in Italy, it is subjected to a low‑temperature steam distillation that preserves volatile compounds often lost in harsher methods. The resulting oud oil is then blended with a curated palette of supporting ingredients – from citrus zest to powdered amber – chosen for their ability to highlight different facets of the wood. Casotti’s background in European perfumery informs the precise weighing and maceration periods, which can extend for several months to allow the components to integrate fully. Quality control involves blind testing by a small panel of olfactory experts who assess balance, longevity, and projection. Bottles are filled in a climate‑controlled environment to prevent oxidation, and each batch receives a unique batch code that tracks the specific oud source and distillation date. The brand’s limited production runs mean that each fragrance is hand‑filled, a practice that reduces the risk of contamination and ensures consistency across bottles. THoO also documents its sourcing chain, providing customers with information about the forest region and the harvest year, a level of traceability that aligns with growing consumer demand for ethical luxury.
Design Language
Visually, THoO adopts a restrained aesthetic that mirrors its olfactory approach. Bottles are typically crafted from dark amber or deep green glass, allowing the rich hue of the perfume to be hinted at through the translucent walls. The caps are simple metal discs, often brushed or matte, avoiding excessive ornamentation. Labels feature clean, sans‑serif typography with the brand’s initials THoO embossed in subtle foil, a nod to the house’s Italian design sensibility. Packaging boxes use textured matte paper in neutral tones, sometimes accented with a single strip of gold foil that references the precious nature of oud. Promotional photography frequently places the bottle against natural backdrops – wood, stone, or sand – underscoring the ingredient’s organic roots. The overall visual language conveys a sense of quiet confidence, inviting the viewer to focus on the scent itself rather than on flashy branding. This minimalism has been noted by independent reviewers who comment on the brand’s “understated elegance” and the way the design lets the perfume speak for itself.
Philosophy
THoO’s creative vision rests on a simple premise: treat oud as a living material that can be shaped, layered, and re‑imagined. The brand’s statements, as reported by So Avant Garde, emphasize respect for the ingredient’s cultural heritage while encouraging experimentation. Each fragrance is approached as a dialogue between the raw agarwood and the surrounding notes, rather than a backdrop for a single star component. Sustainability features in the philosophy; the house works with producers who practice responsible harvesting, aiming to preserve the trees that yield the precious resin. Transparency is another pillar – THoO often shares the geographic origin of its oud, noting that many batches come from Southeast Asian forests where traditional extraction methods are still used. The brand also values craftsmanship over trend chasing, preferring to let the scent’s structure dictate its presentation. This mindset translates into a modest release cadence, allowing the team to refine formulas based on real‑world feedback rather than market pressure. In interviews, Casotti has spoken about the importance of balance – a balance between the weight of oud and the lightness of modern accords, between heritage and innovation, and between artistic expression and responsible sourcing.
Key Milestones
2016
THoO founded by Andrea Casotti and Mohammed Abu Nashi; launch of Golden Powder, Dates Delight, and the first Crop fragrance.
2018
Release of The Time, Just Before, and Live In Colors, expanding the house’s olfactory range.
2020
Introduction of a limited‑edition oud oil sourced from a single Indonesian plantation, highlighted in niche perfume forums.
2021
Crop 2021 released, marking the fifth iteration of the Crop series and showcasing a refined balance of oud and citrus.
2022
Ruby Red and Crop 2022 launched, the former featuring a ruby‑inspired amber accord paired with oud.
2024
THoO celebrates its eighth anniversary with a retrospective exhibition in Milan, displaying original scent sketches and sourcing documentation.
At a Glance
Brand profile snapshot
Origin
Italy
Founded
2016
Heritage
10
Years active
Collection
2
Fragrances released
Avg Rating
4.0
Community sentiment
Release Rhythm