Agarwood is resinous heartwood formed when Aquilaria trees are wounded and infected by fungus. The scent comes from the resin, not the wood itself. It is used for incense, beads and oud oil.

Wild vs cultivated agarwood, which is better?

Neither is simply better. Wild agarwood is rarer and often pricier; cultivated agarwood from managed plantations is traceable and consistent in grade. We supply cultivated agarwood, stating verifiable grades rather than vague superlatives.

What does sinking grade mean?

Sinking or floating depends on density, which follows resin content. A higher grade is not automatically more suitable, for daily use non-sinking grades often offer better value.

How can I tell real agarwood from fake?

Check four points: natural oil-line patterns, aroma with front-middle-base changes, weight matching the stated gram weight, and soft ash and smoke when burned. We photograph oil lines and state gram weight for every lot.

Agarwood 101 — How to Judge Agarwood Before You Buy

1. What agarwood actually is

Agarwood is not a species of wood you can fell and sell. It is resin-infused heartwood: when trees of the Aquilaria genus are wounded or stressed, they produce a dark, fragrant resin as a defense response. Wood without resin is just pale timber; wood with enough resin is agarwood — and the grade depends on how much resin, and how well it has matured.

This is why every piece is different, why photos matter, and why honest sellers state measurable facts instead of adjectives.

2. Wild vs cultivated

Wild agarwood is scarce, uneven, and — critically — a CITES-regulated resource (Aquilaria species are listed in Appendix II). The legal, sustainable future of this trade is cultivated agarwood: planned plantations, controlled induction of resin, documented batches.

Our supply is plantation-grown. That is not a compromise — controlled induction plus a good cultivar gives stable resin quality and traceable batches, which wild material can never promise.

3. What "sinking" means

Sinking grade (沉水) means a piece is dense enough to sink in water — a proxy for resin saturation. It is a useful, checkable test, which is why we like it:

Sinking: resin saturation high; the classic collector tier.
Semi-sinking: floats at the surface or sinks slowly; most of the fragrance with less of the price.
Non-sinking: lighter material; still genuine, still aromatic, friendlier for daily use.

We declare the grade in writing on every quotation. If a seller won't put it in writing, that tells you something.

4. Oil lines: read the grain

Resin shows as dark lines and patches between the pale wood fibers. On beads, look for even, flowing oil lines rather than blotchy stains. On raw material, richer dark grain near the center usually means deeper resin. We photograph the oil lines of every lot we quote.

5. Aroma: low and slow

Good agarwood does not shout. On an electric heater at 100–150°C, resin releases in layers — often sweet woody notes first, then deeper balsamic tones. Harsh, sharp, alcohol-like hits usually mean fast processing or added fragrance. Trust your nose at low temperature, not the seller's adjectives at high volume.

6. Qinan: why it is different

Qinan (奇楠, kinam) is the most coveted class of agarwood — softer, oil-rich material that yields a uniquely layered aroma and even melts differently when heated. True qinan is rare and priced accordingly. Our "Qinan No.1" cultivar was selected and propagated from the Jianfengling (Hainan) lineage to bring qinan-class material into sustainable, traceable cultivation.

A last word before you buy: describe your use — wearing, heating, collecting, or retail — and your budget band. We will suggest a grade that fits, and ship a sample so the decision happens in your hands, not in a product photo. Start an inquiry →

Agarwood 101