Aethi Opum Scent Profile

(pronounced Eethi-Opum)

When the rain subsides, black pepper, aidan fruit and vanilla warm up the earth with the sun. Aromas of coffee, vetiver and leather stir with thiouraye (churai) incense over formations of stone. The ancient keeper of lore secretly adorns itself with bark and leaves, its presence seen only by the vultures circling the skies above. 

Gowé & Thiouraye

Gowé is an aromatic root from the same botanical family as papyrus, traditionally used in Thiouraye (prounounced Churai), an incense prepared using family recipes passed down through generations in The Gambia and Senegal.

Its aroma is earthy and mineral, reminiscent of soil and sun-warmed stone. The root has the woody depth of vetiver, with a rich, resinous warmth that emerges as it smoulders.

This scent profile is central to Aethi Opum, launched in 2025 and recipient of the 2026 Art & Olfaction Award in the Independent Category.