When Does a Perfume Cost $1,000? When It Takes 1,000 Years to Make

Agarwood is a fairly common ingredient in high-end perfumery, despite its high price. The material, which occurs as a result of tree rot and is also known as oud or oudh, produces an addictive smell that might appear animalic to some or like blue cheese to others. Today it's especially popular in the Middle East, but agarwood has a long history in East Asia as well, specifically in Japan as a form of incense. Japanese incense tradition divides agarwood into six tiers: sasora, rakoku, sumotara, m...