Forget jasmine. Gardenia is so last century. And tuberose? Pfft. Boring. There’s a new star ingredient in the world of perfume and it is exotic and strange enough to create a frisson in even the most jaded nose. Which is a good thing, because these days, as we wring every last drop out of our fragrance bottles (the better to preserve the household budget), it’s only the truly surprising that seems of interest.

As far as I’m concerned, oud (pronounced ood), a by-product of fungal infestation of the south-east Asian Aquilaria tree, qualifies.