What Is Dukhoon? Dukhoon, Bakhoor and Oud in the Gulf

Defining Dukhoon and Bakhoor

The word dukhoon originates from the Arabic term for smoke, and many Emiratis use it in everyday speech to describe perfumed incense blends. According to Oud Saray, when a brand sells dukhoon, it usually refers to a ready-made perfumed blend.

In practice, dukhoon and bakhoor overlap heavily as both are fragrant blends burned on charcoal or an electric burner. Khaltate describes bakhoor as the broader term for aromatic materials that are heated to spread their scent.

Wikipedia notes that in most Arab countries, incense is burned as scented chips or blocks called bakhoor. Bakhoor is used on special occasions such as weddings, on Fridays, or generally to perfume the house.

Composition and Ingredients

Bakhoor often consists of wood chips or pressed blends, frequently incorporating oud or sandalwood. These are soaked in fragrant oils such as amber, musk, and rose, as noted by Oud Saray. Brands that sell it are listed in our guide to bakhoor brands.

Khaltate describes dukhoon as a blend prepared from woody ingredients with oils or perfumes. Agarwood, commonly called oud, is a fragrant, dark, resinous wood used in incense, perfume and small hand carvings; perfumes that list it are collected on the oud note page.

In the Gulf, oud is burned as raw wood chips, distilled into Dehn al oud, or blended into bakhoor. Consumers in the Middle East most seek pieces of agarwood, from branch or trunk sections down to chips and flakes, according to a TRAFFIC trade study.

Burning a small sample is the most popular way of further judging the grade of agarwood, according to a TRAFFIC and IUCN Library report.

Usage and Hospitality

Families use bakhoor to scent homes, clothes, and guests, especially on Fridays, at Eid, and on special occasions. It is customary in many Arab countries to pass bakhoor among guests in the majlis.

Passing bakhoor to guests in the majlis is a sign of good hospitality in Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman, the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and Jordan. Incense that cannot burn directly requires a continuous external heat source.

Oud has traditionally been used in mosques, where its chips are burned as incense.

The Role of the Mabkhara

The mabkhara, also called a mujmarah, is a censer found across the Muslim world. These censers are used to produce a rich aromatic smoke that perfumes the surroundings and removes unpleasant odours.

Incense Themes in Perfumery

While dukhoon and bakhoor are incense products, some perfumes incorporate the Incense note into their compositions. Ajmal Dakhoon Sayedat Al Khaleej is an attar featuring oud in its heart and base notes.

Al Rehab Shaikhah is an Eau de Parfum with top notes of bergamot and wild flowers, heart notes of balsa wood, and base notes of white incense and sandalwood.

Arabian Oud Blue Moon is a perfume oil with clove, orris oil, and incense. Afnan Abiyad Mukhallat is a perfume oil containing saffron, wood, amber, musk, rose, incense, and oud.

Sources

• Oud Saray (UAE perfumer): العود والبخور والدخون: ما الفرق بينها؟
• Khaltate (Gulf perfumer): الفرق بين البخور والدخون والعود
• Wikipedia (EN): Incense
• Wikipedia (EN): Agarwood
• TRAFFIC / IUCN Library: Heart of the Matter: Agarwood Use and Trade and CITES Implementation for Aquilaria malaccensis
• ويكيبيديا (AR): بخور
• Wikipedia (EN): Mabkhara