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A bottle of oud perfume among dried rose petals

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Oud Perfume and the Great Arabian Fragrance Houses

Oud perfume is the signature scent of the Arabian Peninsula, and the region's fragrance houses, from Muscat to Riyadh and Dubai, blend it with rose, amber, musk and frankincense into some of the most distinctive Arabian perfume in the world.

Updated

At a glance

Oud, Perfume and Artisans at a glance

What oud is
A rare resin-rich heartwood from the agarwood tree, worn as oil or burned as chips
Bakhoor
Scented wood chips burned to perfume homes, clothing and majlis rooms
Best buys
Pure oud oil, rose of Taif, Omani frankincense, attar blends
Prices
From about $30 for a bakhoor gift box to many thousands of dollars for aged oud oil

World of Arabian perfume

The world of Arabian perfume

Scent is part of hospitality across the Gulf. Guests are welcomed with incense, a host may pass a burner of bakhoor before you leave, and a dab of oil on the wrist is a daily ritual. Oud, the dark, resinous heartwood of the agarwood tree, sits at the heart of it, alongside Taif rose from the Saudi highlands and the frankincense of southern Oman.

Buying perfume here is a personal experience. In the best houses a perfumer will layer oils on your skin, explain the difference between Indian, Cambodian and Malaysian oud, and help you build a scent of your own. Learn the story behind it on our page on the history of Arabian perfume and oud.

Rows of cut-glass decanters filled with amber perfume oils in a traditional souk perfumery.
Photo: Kritzolina · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Oud perfume houses to visit

Respected houses with boutiques across the region and, often, abroad.

Amouage

Muscat, Oman

Oman's celebrated luxury perfume house, founded in Muscat in 1983 and known for opulent compositions built around frankincense, rose and oud. Visit its flagship and perfumery near Muscat to see where it all begins.

Official site ↗

Abdul Samad Al Qurashi

Saudi Arabia and the Gulf

A Saudi house with roots in Makkah going back generations, famed for pure oud oils, rare oud wood and traditional blends. Its boutiques feel like an Arabian treasury.

Arabian Oud

Saudi Arabia and worldwide

A Riyadh-born house founded in the early 1980s that grew into one of the largest Arabian perfume brands in the world. A broad range, from classic oud to modern blends.

Ajmal Perfumes

Dubai and the Gulf

A Dubai-based family house dating back to the 1950s, combining traditional attars with contemporary Western-style fragrances. A reliable first stop for newcomers to Arabian scent.

Official site ↗

Rasasi

Dubai and the Gulf

A Dubai perfume house known for elegant bottles and accessible blends that balance oud with fresh and floral notes.

Swiss Arabian

Dubai, UAE

Founded in Dubai in 1974, one of the pioneers of perfume manufacturing in the UAE, mixing European technique with Arabian ingredients.

Ibraheem Al Qurashi

Saudi Arabia and the Gulf

A Saudi family house, separate from Abdul Samad Al Qurashi, known for classic oud and amber oils and generous gift sets.

Kayali

Dubai and international

Founded by Dubai-based Mona Kattan, a contemporary fragrance line inspired by the Middle East's love of layering scents. Popular with a younger, global audience.

Frankincense, bakhoor

Frankincense, bakhoor and the artisans

Where scent meets craft, from resin markets to the region's master makers.

Frankincense of Dhofar

Salalah, Oman

The trees of southern Oman have produced some of the world's finest frankincense for thousands of years, and the Land of Frankincense is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Buy graded resin in Salalah's Al Haffa Souq.

Taif roses

Taif, Saudi Arabia

Each spring the highlands around Taif bloom with the damask roses distilled into the prized rose oil of Arabia. Visit a family distillery in season.

Mutrah Souq

Muscat, Oman

Frankincense, incense burners and Omani silver in Muscat's historic market on the corniche.

Dubai Spice and Perfume Souks

Deira, Dubai, UAE

Lanes of spice merchants and perfume blenders in old Deira, where you can have a personal attar mixed while you wait.

Sadu weaving

UAE, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia

The Bedouin weaving tradition of the Gulf, recognized by UNESCO, produces geometric textiles in rich reds and blacks. Look for pieces at cultural centers and craft markets.

Moroccan artisans

Fes and Marrakech, Morocco

The craft quarters of Fes and Marrakech still produce zellige tilework, hand-tooled leather and argan-based perfumes made by master artisans.

Buying Arabic perfume

Buying Arabic perfume in Dubai and beyond

Pure oud oil is concentrated: a single drop lasts all day, so you need far less than a Western perfume. Ask to test on skin rather than on paper and let it develop for an hour. Prices vary widely with origin and age; reputable houses will be open about what is in the bottle.

Oils and resins travel well, but keep liquids in checked luggage if they exceed carry-on limits. The houses above have outlets in the region's leading malls and souks, and many sit alongside the city's fine jewelers.

To see frankincense country for yourself, add Salalah and the khareef season or Muscat's luxury hotels to your trip; and for buyers who fall for Oman's calm pace, there is our guide to Muscat property and investment.

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Checked October 2026. Prices and dates are approximate and can change. See our standard.