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Adapted from http://www.aloeswood.net/
Aloeswood
- A Gift of Nature...
Aloeswood is one of
the most rare and precious
woods in the world,
prized for its rich
and wonderful fragrance.
It has been used for
centuries in religious
ceremonies, as well
as in traditional medicine.
It is believed to have
both mental and physical
medicinal benefits –
with properties thought
to balance the mind
and body and relieve
pain.* Aloeswood is
also believed by many
to have aphrodisiacal
qualities.
Botanical
Information
Aloeswood,
sometimes referred to
as agarwood, belongs
to the genus Aquilaria
and to the species Agallocha.
It is native to Cambodia,
Laos, Vietnam, Indonesia
and Northern India,
although resources in
many of these areas
have suffered from unchecked
exploitation in recent
times.
 The
tree that produces the
aloeswood resin is a
large evergreen, usually
around 20 meters tall,
but it can reach up
to 40 meters.** The
tree bears a fragrant,
green and yellowish-white
flower (shown on the
right).
Aloeswood
is not related to Aloe
Vera (Latin name: Aloe
barbadensis).
Learn
more about the formation
and cultivation of aloeswood.
The
Scent
of
Aloeswood
Aloeswood
has
a
deep,
woodsy
scent,
often
described
as
warm
and
earthy.
The
aroma
is
distinctive
and
very
penetrating.
Because
the
scent
is
so
pleasant,
aloeswood
is
used
to
make
essential
oil
and
aloeswood
chips,
and
it
is
also
a
prized
ingredient
of
incense
in
the
Middle
East
and
in
Japan.
The
fragrance
of
aloeswood
can
vary
greatly
depending
on
the
country
of
origin,
the
density
of
resin
and
depending
also
on
the
part
of
the
tree
from
which
it
is
harvested.
Read
about
the
different
grades
of
aloeswood.
 The
Formation of Aloeswood
Aloeswood
occurs as a result of
a complex, natural defense
mechanism in a tree.
After it has been infected
by a fungus, which attacks
through wounds on its
trunk, the tree begins
to produce a resin within
its limbs and trunk.
Aloeswood is formed
by the maturing of this
resin, a process that
can take anywhere from
several decades to hundreds
of years.
In
the highest quality
aloeswood, known as
black agar or Kyara,
the resin becomes so
dense that it causes
the wood to sink in
water.
The
fragrance of aloeswood
can vary greatly depending
on the country of origin,
the density of resin
and depending also on
the part of the tree
from which it is harvested.
The
Cultivation of Aloeswood
Because aloeswood is
so rare and precious,
attempts are now being
made to cultivate the
wood in plantations
in India and other places
around the world, by
deliberately infecting
trees with  the
fungus that causes the
resins to appear. While
this is a sustainable
way to produce aloeswood,
the quality may differ
from that of naturally-occuring,
wild aloeswood.
Different
Grades
of
Aloeswood
There
are
many
different
grades
of
aloeswood,
which
are
determined
based
on
the
density
of
resin
and
the
type
and
intensity
of
the
aroma
it
produces.
The
lower
grades
are
often
used
in
essential
oil,
while
the
higher
grades
are
mainly
used
for
incense.
Generally,
like
fine
wine,
the
ones
with
the
longest
maturing
time
have
the
greatest
aroma.
The
highest
grade
of
aloeswood
is
called
Kyara,
which
means
"precious"
in
ancient
Japanese,
and
it
is
more
expensive
per
ounce
than
gold.
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