Anyone for £80 fragrance?

Strange ingredients have cropped up in perfumes, Oud isn't a fungus per se, but a resinous liquid that comes from infected wood found in the trunk of the Aquilaria tree, indigenous to South-East Asia. Also known as Agar wood, the infected parts of the trunk are removed and the oud resin extracted. Rather like wine, the older the oud the better. This is one reason why it is also one of the most expensive raw materials in a perfumery. 'The finest could cost between £2,000 to £3,000 for 12 ounces,' says perfume expert, Roja Dove. That's more expensive than gold. The liquid has long been a prized ingredient in Middle Eastern perfumery. But, more recently, it's caught the imagination of today's big names, such as Tom Ford and Armani. Jo Malone launched its Oud & Bergamot Cologne Intense (£80, jomalone. co.uk) last month.