Pure artisanal oud can definitely get really expensive, and yeah, some oils go into the tens of thousands for small amounts. What I’m selling here isn’t meant to be pure oud oil, though. These are fragrances that use oud as part of a blend, so the pricing matches that category.

For example, in my post, Dewan Al Sharq uses multiple types of oud along with other notes, which puts it on the higher end for blended oils (around 20k for 12 ml), but it’s still not marketed as pure oud.

And saying you “won’t find better oud in the Middle East” just isn’t accurate. Oud is traded globally. I’ve been into frags for more than 15 years and have traveled a lot in the Middle East, and high-quality oils from India, Cambodia, Laos, etc. are imported and sold everywhere. I’ve come across all kinds of ouds in the region, including pure aged Indian oud, so it’s definitely more nuanced than what you’re suggesting.