Vintage Viet Royale

VVR is a vintage Vietnamese oud from the Nha Trang region that was distilled traditionally in 2012. It really represents how a true wild oud from Vietnam smells. Crassna is a common species found in different regions of Vietnam, but Nha Trang is famous among regions such as Hanoi, Hoi An, Hue, Ha Tinh, etc., due to its mind-numbing ability. From my distilling experience, I’m able to distinguish oils that were distilled from high vs. low grade and incense vs. shavings. When I first smelled it, I backed myself to get hold of this oil from the hands of the distiller right away. Unfortunately, not much was left, as the majority of it went into the hands of the collectors. But here we are with the oil that represents the relics from the past and will never be seen in the future.

Unlike some other NTs where top notes are medicinal, bitter, piercing, and airy, it’s a well-rounded oil whose opening is rich, floral, resinous, balsamic, and dark berries. The middle and dry down is like burning NT chips, and it’s one of those complex oils that are very rare to find even in Vietnam today, and it only gets better and better with age.

If you didn’t smell this, you are most likely missing the cream of the crop.