Decoding Agarwood Grades without the Folklore

Sinking grade, kinam, and kyara are short-hand for density, rarity, and apex aroma—but there is no universal standard, so decoding grades requires understanding what each term truly measures rather than trusting labels alone. In practice, sink tests, alphabet grades, and “super/AAA” tags are vendor conventions, while kinam/kyara are cultural-quality ideals whose proof is in the burn and the bouquet, not folklore or marketing.

What “sinking” means

“Sinking” simply indicates wood dense enough in resin to drop in water, typically >1 g/cm³, with trade terms like half‑sinking, sinking, fast‑sinking, or “9‑point sinking” describing degrees of buoyancy tied to oil content and density. The popular “point” system (e.g., 9‑point sinking ≈ 90% submerged) is a market shorthand, not a scientific or global standard. Crucially, a piece can sink yet smell unremarkable, and a floating piece can smell exquisite—density is not destiny.

Resin, color, and maturity

Darker marbling usually signals higher oleoresin loading and often older trees, which correlates with value and burn time but does not guarantee a better fragrance profile by itself. Chemical studies show high‑grade agarwood tends to exhibit richer oxygenated sesquiterpenoids and characteristic chromones, underscoring that chemistry—not just heft—drives perceived quality. In short, color and weight are proxies, while aroma and composition are the arbiters.

The alphabet soup of grades

Expect overlapping systems: alphabetic (C→AAA), “super/double/triple super,” water‑based (semi‑sinking, sinking), size tags (baby, king, queen), and purpose grades (collector, incense, showpiece, seyufi). None of these are harmonized globally; vendors calibrate terms to their sourcing and clientele, so an “AAA” from one house might equal “A” elsewhere. Treat grade names as internal dialects—useful within a seller’s ecosystem but not a portable truth.

Oil vs. wood: different yardsticks

Wood grading leans on density, resin streaking, and combustion behavior, while oil quality rests on the extraction’s chemistry, terroir, and distillation practice. High proportions of oxygenated sesquiterpenoids and signature chromones align with prized oil complexity and refinement, even when the originating wood might not have been “sinking”. Conversely, extremely dense wood can yield austere or muted oils if poorly selected or distilled.