Omani Frankincense (Omani Luban and Bakhoor)

Description

The luban tree is an Omani tree, which provides one of the finest and most expensive frankincense in the world. The tree grows in Dhofar in the southern part of Oman and it has always been known as an important part of Oman’s natural heritage. When sold, the frankincense looks more like a dried gum that produced nice scent when burned. However, on the tree, the frankincense looks like white milky sap that comes out of a cut bark of the frankincense tree and allowed to dry onto the tree before it is collected. By that time it is a hard resin. It comes in different shades which depend on the season in which it is gathered. It is whiter in autumn, and gets darker as the season changes to spring. It can be a pale lemon color, or pale green and pale or dark amber. It is harvested two or three times a year and the best frankincense comes from young trees. With the Omani luban, people like to use the Omani Bakhoor too. Bakhoor is the Arabic name given to scented bricks or a blend of natural traditional ingredients, mainly woodchips (Oudh the Arabic name for Agarwood/Aloeswood) soaked in fragrant oils and mixed with other natural ingredients (resin, ambergris, musk, sandalwood , essential oils and others). These scented chips/bricks are burned in charcoal or incense burners to perfume the house and clothing with the fragrance rich thick smoke.