Have you tried ..
Various oils..
BLO, MIneral, Tung,
BLO and Tung will darken but also add a bit of an amber color.
Mineral oil will darken and not color shift, but you have to apply about 3 times as many coats. It does not penetrate as deep.
Walnut oil has been suggested to me, but I've never tried it.
A mixture of BLO, de-waxed shellac and mineral spirits makes a good alround finish. (This is the HUT basics + their secret ingredients).
There are probably some better experiences for darkening the wood prior to really finishing it.
I have in the past with some woods lightly stained with a dark stain and then sanded the surface. The pores and deeper grain will absorb more stain and after sanding really standout. Then a lighter stain will snap the grain while only shifting the wood color a little.
I hope this helps some.
Alan