The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Jala arrived in 2016, and Perfumer Abdulla Almarzooq built the composition around a soft, almost whispered kind of floral statement that doesn't shout its ingredients at you. The name itself, Jala, carries a softness in its sound, and the fragrance follows that lead. Star anise and blackcurrant bring a fruit-spice lift to what would otherwise be a straight white-floral heart, and the result reads more as a study in restraint than a loud display of any single material. The interplay between the fruity-spiced top and the cream-soft florals underneath gives Jala a quiet architecture, one that earns its presence through texture rather than volume.
Almarzooq builds the middle of Jala with a careful eye for how sweet and creamy materials can work together without tipping into cloying territory. The coconut brings a tropical sweetness that bridges the fruity opening and the creamy drydown, keeping the white florals from tipping into soapy. Violet and heliotrope add a vintage powderiness without going full retro, lending the heart a soft-focus, slightly almond-hued quality that reads more skin-like than confectionary.
The evolution
The first fifteen minutes belong to blackcurrant and star anise, sharp and almost liqueur-like, sitting on top of a rose-jasmine shimmer that reads bright rather than heady. By the thirty-minute mark, the white florals have settled into something creamier, orange blossom and coconut rounding the edges, violet adding that dusting-of-powder texture that makes the whole thing feel close to skin. The heliotrope lingers in the background, giving the heart a marzipan warmth that blends almost seamlessly into the base. After two hours, the composition has shifted entirely into its drydown: patchouli and tonka bean take over, the amber warms up underneath, and the cashmere wood does what it says, wrapping everything in something that smells like the inside of a winter coat.
Cultural impact
Jala reads as a composition that earns its staying power through texture and layering rather than through sheer volume. The powdery-floral character of the heart, with violet and heliotrope lending that soft-focus almond-powder quality, gives the fragrance a tactile dimension that becomes more apparent as the hours pass. The base, with its tonka-amber-cashmere combination, keeps the whole thing anchored in something warmer and more enveloping, so the powdery florals never feel cold or detached. There's a grown-up quality to the way the materials are handled, with sweetness kept in check by patchouli and by the dry softness of cashmere wood.
The House
Touch Of OudTouch Of Oud curates a line of oud‑centric fragrances that balance the depth of traditional Middle Eastern wood with a restrained, contemporary sensibility. Each scent unfolds with a clear structure, allowing the rare heart of oud to speak without overwhelming the wearer. The brand positions itself as a bridge between heritage craftsmanship and modern niche perfumery, offering compositions that linger long on skin while remaining approachable for daily wear.
The Creator
Abdulla AlmarzooqAbdulla’s technique centers on a disciplined layering of base notes. He begins with a pure oud extract, then adds a measured dose of sandalwood to soften the edge.
