Origin · Sanaag & Bari
Cal Madow.
A mountain range roughly 150 kilometres long, running parallel to Somalia's north coast. Boswellia frereana grows here and nowhere else.
The habitat
A mountain range above the Gulf of Aden.
The Cal Madow runs as a steep limestone chain through the Sanaag region and into western Bari. With the Shimbiris (around 2,416 m) it holds the highest point in Somalia. Above the cliffs, relict juniper forests, such as the Daallo forest, withstand the drought, sustained by the coastal fog that banks up against the escarpment.
It is exactly this microclimate that makes the place unique: on the limestone cliffs between 1,200 and 1,800 metres grows Boswellia frereana, a frankincense species found commercially nowhere else in the world.
- Region
- Sanaag & Bari, Somalia
- Highest point
- Shimbiris ≈ 2,416 m
- Growing altitude frereana
- 1,200 – 1,800 m
- Habitat worldwide
- here only
Single origin
Maydi, the “King of Frankincense.”
In the region, the resin of Boswellia frereana is called Maydi; historically, it's the most highly prized frankincense quality of all. Its scent is fresh, resinous and pine-citrus, clearer and less sweet than the classic olibanum of Boswellia carterii.
Because the species is bound to a single stretch of land, single-origin here is not a promise but a fact: there is no second habitat to blend in from. This certainty of origin is our strongest quality argument.
The harvest
Tapped by hand, sorted by grade.
Collectors climb into the limestone cliffs and score the bark with the traditional tool, the mengaf. The oleo-gum resin emerges as tears, hardens over weeks and is then gathered; knowledge is passed down within the families over generations.
It is then sorted by grade by hand. For our oils, the upper grades count: Mushaad and Mujarwaal. We rely on non-destructive harvesting with tree rest periods and fair minimum prices for the collectors; over-tapping of Boswellia stands is a real industry issue that we take seriously.
Reportage, voices and our own images from the cliffs follow after our first trip in August 2026; no stock photos, no invented quotes.
Traditional Maydi grades
- Mushaad
- Grade 1, large, clear, golden-yellow tears. The “King of Frankincense.”
- Mujarwaal
- Grade 2, medium to small, highly aromatic; only expert hands separate it from Grade 1.
- Fas Kabir / Fas Saqir
- Grade 3–4, pea-sized to fine fragments, cleanly sorted.
Read on
FAQ · Origin
Questions about origin.
Habitat, traceability and the Somali names briefly explained.
Where does your frankincense come from, and is it traceable?
Our resin comes from the Cal Madow (the Sanaag and Bari regions) in Somalia and is traceable to the individual collector. Distillation takes place at origin in Burao (being built, from Q4 2026); sales and invoicing run through our EU office in Limburg an der Lahn.
Why does Boswellia frereana grow only in the Cal Madow?
Boswellia frereana is bound to the limestone cliffs of the Cal Madow mountains in Sanaag and Bari; the altitude, rock and climate of this zone exist in this combination nowhere else. That is why “Maydi” is a true single-origin species.
What do the Somali names Maydi, Beeyo and Malmal mean?
They are the regional trade names: Maydi (also Maidi) = Boswellia frereana, Beeyo (also Mohor) = Boswellia carterii, Malmal (also Heerabol) = myrrh (Commiphora myrrha). These names have been used in the Cal Madow trade for generations.
Is the origin sustainable?
We rely on non-destructive wild harvesting with tree rest periods and fair minimum prices for the collectors. Over-tapping of Boswellia stands is a real industry issue that we take seriously.
Reserve first batch
Single-origin from the Cal Madow, limited.
The first batch is wild-harvested and limited. Reserve and you're served first, with priority on your first purchase and a special rate for early buyers.
The first batch is limited in quantity. Reserve now to join the allocation list, with priority on first purchase.
We confirm your reservation personally by email. No newsletter, no sharing, you'll only hear from us when the first batch is ready.