Taman Negara and her predecessor Kehebatan
were extracted from the very same batch of agarwood. Kehebatan
was deliberately distilled using old-school parameters... the
old all-steel apparatus, the high cooking temperature, the
works. For that reason, it was the poster-boy for the vintage
Malaysian oud genre.
Taman Negara, on the other hand, was distilled using Spanish
copper and Pyrex glass apparatus, over a painstakingly
controlled delicate flame.
The comparisons and contrasts that can be made between the two
oils are monumental, and for anyone who considers themselves an
'oud nerd' the ouducation the duo bequeaths is priceless.
Almost half of the entire yield of Kehebatan comprised of
auxiliary notes: the smoke, the purple muskiness, and most
importantly the rugged woodiness.
Taman Negara eradicates most of that (with just a touch of the
woodiness retained though), and at about half the total yield,
it packs DOUBLE the oleoresin punch.
In this duo, you can enjoy the same experience as our Indian Mahabali-Kalyani
combo. The one showcases 'old-school' flavors, while the other
focuses more on the oleoresin.
With less of the 'old school auxiliary notes' cluttering the
palette, Taman Negara allows you to really get up close and
personal with the aroma that put Malaysia on the oud map. The
tamarind is more vibrant, the palm sugar is stickier, the bitter
herbs more full-flavored, the spices fresher.. and of course,
the resin is gooier and far more copious.
The drydown..? Its like you have a Kodo cup in the place of your
wristwatch, emitting vapors of pure Malaysian oudy goodness.
For a batch that yielded only half the volume, Taman Negara should
be double the price of Kehebatan. However, this is part of the
LOT (Let Oleoresin Talk) curriculum, and so
consider this an Agar Aura scholarship — our way of promoting
higher ouducation.