Everyone who receives one of our neys asks the same question: "What is that lovely scent on the ney, and where can we find it?" In this article I explain how I scent a ney, why we love musk and amber, and why scent never goes inside a ney.
What is musk-amber?
Musk and amber are two scents loved in the East for centuries; musk-amber refers to the two used together. They are among the most beloved scents in Mevlevi culture too. Today musk and amber are also found in the blends of many famous perfumes.
Before a ney reaches its owner
Before I send a ney off to its owner, I always do the same thing: I rub musk-amber on my palm, stroke the ney lovingly and touch its başpare (mouthpiece) too. Then I place the ney in its bag and close the lid. When the owner opens the bag, the scent greets them.
From solid amber to musk-amber oil
I used to use solid amber; I would rub it on velvet and wipe the outside of the ney with it. But solid amber can leave small lumps inside the holes. Later I began to receive genuine rose, musk, amber and oud scents. Now I use musk-amber oil on neys.
Scent never goes inside a ney
I repeat this at every opportunity: scent goes only on the outside of a ney, never inside. If essences, perfume or rose oil are poured inside, they soak into the fibres of the reed and make the ney unusable. There is no cure for that. For details, see Why does a ney get mouldy or bend?.
"This isn't the same scent"
Friends I share the scent with sometimes tell me, "This isn't the same scent." Yet I have no other musk; this is the one I use on neys. Anyone interested in scent knows that even a perfume smells one way on me and another on you.
A perfume has top, middle and base notes. It smells one way when you first spray it, another after an hour or two, and quite different the next day. Skin, surroundings and time change a scent. So do not expect musk-amber to behave like a perfume. Incidentally, if you look at the blends of famous French perfumes, you will find musk and amber in most of them.
Care for the scent itself
I value the things I love. Instead of a plastic syringe, I transfer these scents with a glass syringe I found at an antique shop into bottles worthy of them; sometimes I make a hand cream from them as a gift for close friends. Genuine scents are not easy to source; I sometimes wait for months, and I never accept a scent I do not like.
The scents we use with our neys: Musk-amber oil (12 ml) · Amber (25 g).
Frequently asked questions
Should you put scent on a ney?
Only on the outside. Rub alcohol-free musk-amber on your palm and wipe the outside of the ney and its başpare. Never pour scent inside a ney.
What happens if I pour essence inside my ney?
The scent soaks into the fibres of the reed and makes the ney unusable. There is no cure afterwards.
Solid amber or musk-amber oil?
Both can be used. Because solid amber can leave small lumps inside the holes, I prefer musk-amber oil.
