The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Manthoor arrived at the close of 2017, released on November 29th of that year as a composition from Touch Of Oud. Perfumer Abdulla Almarzooq built Manthoor around galbanum's bitter green sting and iris's cold minerality, letting these two materials carry a leather-birch structure that defines the composition from the first spray. The galbanum arrives sharp, almost aggressive in the opening minutes, a resinous green that smells of crushed stems and damp vegetation. Iris softens that sting almost immediately, powdering the edges and lending the composition a mineral coolness that persists well into the heart.
What separates Manthoor from its peers is the vegetal hit at the top. Galbanum is one of perfumery's sharpest materials, a green resin that smells like torn stems and cold stone, and pairing it with iris produces a green composition where the materials cool and powder each other in sequence. The iris moderates galbanum's bite almost immediately, which lets the pink pepper register as quiet warmth instead of full spice.
The evolution
The first thirty minutes are all green. Galbanum cuts, iris smooths, pink pepper hums. It smells like walking through a garden after rain that stopped ten minutes ago, with stone still cooling underneath. Then the apricot arrives, and everything tilts. The mate brings a tobacco-leaf quality, and the sage adds an herbal warmth, and the composition starts to read like the inside of a coat pocket, that warm enclosed space where leather and fabric have been pressed together for hours. Around the two-hour mark, the green recedes almost entirely. What replaces it is leather and birch, dusty and slightly tarry, with sugar and tonka keeping the base from going austere. The birch contributes a smoky, almost medicinal quality that reads as wood fire rather than barbecue smoke. Tonka adds a soft, almost vanilla-adjacent sweetness that grounds the leather without sweetening it overtly.
Cultural impact
Manthoor occupies an unusual corner of Touch Of Oud's catalog. This composition centers green materials and leather-birch smoke, reading as a piece that fits a layered jacket and a walk through a quieter street rather than a ceremonial evening. It carries depth without sweetness, leather without animalic heat, and a tobacco-leaf dryness that feels intentional rather than accidental. The green opening sets the tone, and the leather-birch base provides a foundation that feels both rugged and refined, a combination that suits cooler weather and layered clothing.
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.
