Agarwood Beginner's Guide 2

Agarwood is a solidified substance formed from the resin secreted by the Agarwood tree in response to external damage, which undergoes chemical reactions with certain microorganisms. There are many causes of external damage, such as lightning strikes, typhoons, insect bites, and human logging. After being damaged externally, the Agarwood tree secretes resin to repair the wound as a self-protective instinct.

 

Therefore, Agarwood cannot be formed without external damage to the Agarwood tree, and if the wound is not infected with fungi, it will only be resin, not Agarwood. In contrast to Sandalwood, which has its own natural fragrance, Agarwood does not have its own fragrance and requires external assistance to form.

 

Sometimes, when wild Agarwood trees are found but do not produce resin, indigenous people may apply external force, such as nailing or drilling, to induce resin production. The picture shows Agarwood formed from artificial drilling on a wild Agarwood tree.

 

The so-called genuine Agarwood on the market can be broadly categorized into two types: artificial Agarwood and wild Agarwood. Wild Agarwood is extremely rare in quantity and highly priced, and most Agarwood products sold on the market are artificial Agarwood. Natural formation of Agarwood resin takes a long time, and in order to maximize profits, people often use artificial methods to induce resin production in Agarwood.

 

Now, let's talk about synthetic Agarwood. It is completely different from Agarwood formed through natural resin production, and I hope fellow fragrance enthusiasts do not confuse the two. Similarly, in Vietnam, about a decade ago, Vietnamese people discovered a non-Aquilaria plant that, after artificial treatment, could be used as a fake Agarwood. The price of this plant was quite low, and many unscrupulous Vietnamese traders started mass production of this counterfeit Agarwood to seek huge profits. Therefore, it is important to be cautious and careful when dealing with Agarwood products.