Agarwood incense discovery workshop

Join us for a free, hands-on workshop exploring the rich traditions of agarwood incense, presented in collaboration with the Olfactory Heritage Group at UCL Institute for Sustainable Heritage. This special event features Dr Yiwei Chen, an expert from China who will demonstrate the craft of making a traditional Chinese incense seal. Participants will also engage in a guided session to experience and compare several rare types of agarwood incense. No prior experience is required.

Agarwood is a highly aromatic resinous wood formed when certain species of Aquilaria trees become infected with a natural fungus. In response, the tree produces a dark, fragrant resin that saturates the heartwood. Harvesting agarwood takes time and expertise, as the resin develops slowly and varies in scent and quality based on the tree’s age, environment, and condition. Some of the samples used in this workshop will come from Hainan, a region in southern China renowned for producing some of the most prized and historically significant agarwood.

Agarwood has held deep cultural and spiritual significance across East Asia for centuries. Its complex, meditative scent is central to rituals, scholarly practice, and artistic life, and continues to shape how scent connects us to memory, place, and identity.

Places are limited. We invite you to take part in this unique opportunity to experience a living tradition of scent through expert guidance and sensory discovery.

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