United Arab Emirates
Wood chips soaked in oud, musk and oils, smouldered on charcoal to welcome guests into Emirati homes.
Our story
In the Emirates, no guest is truly welcomed without bakhoor. Small chips of wood, soaked in oud, musk and fragrant oils, are set on glowing charcoal in a mabkhara — an incense burner — and passed around so the smoke scents each person's clothes and hair. It is a gesture of honour, warmth and generosity that has marked Emirati hospitality for generations. Mabkhara blends the same oils and cuts the same chips, so you can bring that welcome home.
Where it comes from
Wood chips soaked in oud, musk and oils, smouldered on charcoal to scent Emirati homes.
Scented wood chips are cut to a size that smoulders evenly, then steeped in a blend of oud, musk and natural oils. They are dried until ready, so they hold their fragrance and release it slowly over the coals.
Light a piece of charcoal, wait until it glows, and set a few chips on top. The smoke will rise and scent the room. Pass the burner gently around a gathering, as is tradition, or set it down to perfume a space.
Start with the classic to know the house scent. If you love deep woody oud, choose oud-heavy; for something softer and floral, rose & oud; for a warm powdery evening, musk.
The burner and gift sets include charcoal. The individual blend boxes contain the bakhoor only — charcoal and a burner are sold separately.
A few chips burn for a good while, so a 60 g box lasts for many sessions. How often you burn it, and how heavily, sets how long it goes.
Wood chips are cut to smoulder evenly, then steeped in a blend of oud, musk and oils and dried. The result holds its fragrance and releases it slowly over the coals.
Light a piece of charcoal until it glows, place it in a burner, and set a few chips on top. The smoke rises to scent the room; a little goes a long way.
Small pieces of wood soaked in oud, musk and fragrant oils. When set on glowing charcoal they smoulder and fill the room with a rich, warm, resinous scent — a signature of Emirati hospitality.
Notes from Mabkhara — new pieces and the people who make them. No noise.
