Heritage
A house, in its own words
The story of Touch Of Oud begins within The House of Oud (THoO), a niche perfume house founded in 2016. Independent sources describe the brand’s origin as a partnership between Andrea, an Italian master perfumer, and an oud enthusiast from Jakarta, whose shared curiosity sparked a cross‑cultural laboratory for scent. Early releases such as Jawaher (2016) and Manthoor (2017) demonstrated the duo’s willingness to experiment with raw oud sourced from Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent. By 2020 the house introduced Masah, a fragrance that highlighted a sustainably harvested 80‑year‑old Indian oud, marking a shift toward transparent sourcing. The following years saw a steady cadence of releases – Tayma (2022), Trat (2023), and a trio in 2024 including Al Majd, Lemar and Aghla Extrait de Parfum – each reinforcing the brand’s commitment to evolving the oud narrative. Throughout this period, Touch Of Oud emerged as a distinct line within THoO, focusing on compositions that emphasize emotional resonance over ostentatious complexity. The brand’s timeline reflects a measured expansion: from a modest atelier in Milan to a modest presence in boutique retailers across Europe and the Middle East, while maintaining small‑batch production that respects the rarity of its key ingredient. The evolution of Touch Of Oud mirrors a broader movement in niche perfumery, where artisans blend regional raw materials with Western technical expertise to create scents that feel both timeless and current.
Touch Of Oud approaches fragrance as a dialogue between place and perception. The brand believes that oud, a resin with centuries of cultural weight, can be framed in a way that invites personal interpretation rather than dictating a singular story. Creative decisions start with a single note of raw oud, then invite supporting accords that echo the surrounding environment – whether that is the citrus of a Mediterranean orchard or the spice of a Jakarta market. The house values transparency; it publishes the origin of each oud batch and the age of the wood whenever possible. Sustainability guides ingredient selection, with a preference for responsibly harvested trees and partnerships with local cooperatives that receive fair compensation. The brand also prioritizes longevity, formulating each perfume to maintain its character for hours without relying on synthetic fixatives. In practice, this means a focus on natural absolutes, careful balancing of concentration, and rigorous testing on skin to ensure the scent evolves gracefully over time. Touch Of Oud’s creative vision therefore rests on three pillars: authenticity of material, clarity of composition, and respect for the wearer’s sensory experience.