You’d be forgiven for pondering that the pattern for frankincense was short-lived – forgotten about after the three smart males famously gifted it.
Removed from it.
Commerce in frankincense flourished for hundreds of years, up till round 700AD in components of the Center East and Africa – and right this moment is usually burnt in households in Oman, a rustic that continues to be one of many key producers of the substance.
The fragrant resin additionally options within the lodges there run by Shangri-La, which even employs a ‘frankincense sommelier’ – Khalid Al Amri. Who’s no gimmick.
Khalid Al Amri is a ‘frankincense sommelier’ for Shangri-La’s lodges in Oman. He is pictured right here within the foyer of Shangri-La Al Husn, Muscat
He studied frankincense underneath the steering of Canadian scholar Dr Patricia Groves – who has spent over 20 years researching and writing books about Oman’s heritage, arts and tradition – and with Muscat’s Nationwide Museum of Oman and Bait Al Zubair Museum, a programme that additionally earned him the title of Tradition and Heritage Ambassador for Shangri-La in Oman.
So, what does his position contain?
Khalid – who works at each of Shangri-La’s Omani resorts, Al Husn and Barr Al Jissah – stated: ‘All my life I’ve been trying to find my calling and I’ve lastly discovered it.
‘My position entails bringing our visitors moments of pleasure by sharing tales and my information of frankincense with others.
Khalid is pictured above within the frankincense backyard at Shangri-La Al Husn resort
‘It additionally brings me a lot happiness, as I’m obsessed with what I do.
‘I’m liable for overseeing the normal Omani welcome in our resorts, and I additionally lead guided excursions on frankincense and the unimaginable structure of our resorts in Oman.
‘As a part of this distinctive visitor expertise, Shangri-La Al Husn has its very personal personal frankincense backyard with 21 frankincense timber that had been planted again in 2019.
‘The backyard is a spot the place our visitors can contact, scent and see frankincense in its pure kind whereas staying with us.
‘We even have a Luban Spa [luban is Arabic for frankincense) the place visitors can bask in Arabian oriental therapies and massages infused with frankincense oil.
‘Our eating places and bars additionally function cocktails and dishes that includes frankincense, equivalent to our Phoenix from the Flames cocktail, made with limoncello, pastis, bourbon, frankincense and orange.’
Khalid reveals that he advises the eating places and bars on find out how to use frankincense in dishes and drinks – and the sort/grade that’s most fitted.
The resort plans in the end to make use of the frankincense it grows in its spas, eating places and bars, however the timber aren’t fairly prepared but – ‘like a winery, they want time to mature’.
Khalid additionally advises visitors about the most effective forms of frankincense to purchase within the markets in capital metropolis, Muscat – frankincense searching is a well-liked exercise with locals and guests alike.
Frankincense, defined Khalid, is an fragrant resin that originates from two foremost species of timber – the Boswellia sacra and the Boswellia papyrifera – with Oman ‘house to the best frankincense globally’.
Shangri-La runs a number of luxurious lodges in Oman, grouped collectively alongside the coast close to Muscat (above)
Shangri-La’s Oman lodges (above) waft frankincense across the lobbies, and provide dishes and cocktails infused with the fragrant resin
Khalid continued: ‘Frankincense is an integral a part of Oman’s heritage. Within the historical world, frankincense was extra invaluable than gold, and southern Oman simply occurred to be wealthy in frankincense.
‘Immediately, it’s generally burnt at dawn and sundown and it’s a key a part of the welcome expertise in an Omani family.
‘While you welcome a visitor into your house in Oman, you first burn frankincense to create a beautiful scent after which we provide our visitors Arabic espresso and Arabic dates.
‘Rising up, my mom would burn half a kilogram of frankincense each day to create a heat and welcoming environment in our home. And if I used to be not feeling nicely, my mom would boil Al Hojari frankincense in heat water, which is a excessive grade of frankincense that may be ingested for medicinal functions.
‘Frankincense can be used as a room scent, to dissipate kitchen smells and keep off any unfavorable vitality.
‘It’s well-known for its therapeutic and restorative properties too, in addition to a fragrance and as an aphrodisiac. The fragrant resin can be used for ceremonial and celebratory events equivalent to throughout prayer and at weddings, and to make sure good well being for a mom and baby throughout childbirth.’
At Shangri-La’s Oman lodges, it doesn’t take visitors lengthy to familiarise themselves with the attract of frankincense.
Khalid stated: ‘While you go to Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah or Shangri-La Al Husn, we now have created an genuine Omani welcome expertise for our visitors. As quickly as you enter considered one of our two resorts, that are aspect by aspect on Oman’s lovely coast, you’ll scent the sacred scent of frankincense, which we waft and disperse by means of the grand lobbies. Additionally, you will be greeted by both myself or considered one of my colleagues providing Arabic espresso and dates.’
