Incense in The Wind: December 2014

Wednesday 31 December 2014

Mahendra Betco Annamayya

Pack bought from justaromatherapy.co.uk as part of a mixed lot, working out at around 70p for the packet. There are two aromas, a green tipped one and a red tipped one. Around 10 sticks of each. The sticks are crudely and cheaply hand rolled onto flimsy sticks. The chemical base of each aroma is quite apparent, giving them a ambiance of toilet cleaner. The red is the more floral, fragrant and pleasant, though on burning it is the core material that is more noticeable, than the dipped perfume. It's an OK scent, reminiscent of rose. The green is like pine toilet cleaner, and is a little sharp and a little harsh.

Overall a cheap and not unpleasant packet. The box is colourful and attractively decorated. They make an acceptable everyday background scent - not too heavy, and reasonably attractive. For the price, they are worth buying if nothing else is around, but they are not sticks to seek out.

Date: Dec 2014 Score: 20 [This score is over five years old so may not be reliable]

***

Mahendra Betco - Best of

Tuesday 30 December 2014

Mahendra Betco - Best of

Mahendra Perfumery Works of Bangalore were formed in 1921. Betco International is their export division.

Reviews

[* marks incense which was reviewed over five years ago, and so the score may not be reliable]

Betco Hanuman

June 2013 - Score: 35*

Mahendra Bhajan

July 2014 - Score: 33*

Betco Saraswathi

Feb 2017 - Score: 33*

Ancient Wisdom Freedom
Nag Champa (P)
June 2018 - Score: 31*

Betco Bouquet

March 2015 - Score: 31*

Betco Rose

August 2014 - Score: 30*

Mahendra Arora

Oct 2023 Score: 25

(Mahendra) Ancient Wisdom
Freedom Serenity (P)
Dec 2023 - Score: 24

Mahendra Gulabi
June 2018 - Score: 23*

Mahendra Gulabi Collection Lavender
Match 2021 - Score: 23

Mahendra Gulabi Collection Rose
June 2018 - Score: 23

Betco Annamayya

Dec 2014 - Score: 20*

Betco Mogra

Aug 2014 - Score: 20

Mahendra Sai Jyoti

Aug 2017 - Score: 17*

Scents rated: 13
Top score: 35*
Low score: 17*
Average: 26*

Conclusion: A well established perfumed-incense house that makes low cost pleasant enough everyday room freshener incense. While nothing special, the scents are not offensive. Most of the reviews are over five years old, and are possibly not reliable. It is likely that the individual and overall scores should be lower.

***

The Best Incense Makers

Tuesday 16 December 2014

Pan Aroma Sandalwood

56p from my local hardware store. Hex box - no number or weight marked on box - probably from a gift set, in which case there would be sixteen sticks. Pan Aroma is a brand owned by Manchester based company, 151Products Ltd. Sticks are machine machine, so are very even. The perfume is OK, a gentle sandalwood, rather crisp, almost acrid, which gives it some punch. However, it's so mild it makes little impact, and is best used as a very subtle background scent. It's a sensual relaxing scent, so would be good for the bedroom, or in the evening. I wouldn't seek these out, but would be OK buying again at this price if I saw some in a shop.

Date: Dec 2014 Score: 30

***

Sandalwood

Incense Ratings - Top of the Dhoops!

Friday 12 December 2014

Ranga Rao Flute Champa

Bought for 56p for 20 sticks from my local hardware shop, this has a chemical toilet cleaner deodorant aroma on the stick, though burns more pleasantly, with wood tones and some hint of scorching wool. Champa is the Indian name for the flower frangipani (also known as plumeria). This is a fairly simple and basic incense stick which while not being offensive, offers little.

Date: Dec 2014 Score: 24

***

Ranga Rao (Flute)

Incense Ratings - Top of the Dhoops!

Ranga Rao Flute Thousand Flowers

A sweet floral aroma - quite artificial, but acceptable. It's a pleasant and calming aroma, suitable for everyday background or for covering up toilet odours. Purchased from my local hardware store for 56p for a box of 20. Good value. I'd be OK with buying this again. It's not one to seek out, but if its there in the shop at a cheap price, it's worth buying.

Date: Dec 2014 Score: 30

***

Best floral incense

Ranga Rao (Flute)

Ranga Rao (Flute, Cycle, Manmohak, Clove, etc)

N. Ranga Rao & Sons of Mysore have been selling incense since 1948, and export to 60 countries. They use Flute, Cycle, Lia, Manmohak and Angel brand names, and also make Woods and Rhythm brand incense. They make dhoop, perfumed, and masala style incense. Cycle is the most respected brand, and the one that I find tends to make the better incense, mostly, though not exclusively, masala. Flute is a popular brand that mostly makes perfumed.

It is a respected company that is one of the larger incense companies, and is popular domestically, as well as having a decent international market, though nothing as compared to Satya, HEM, etc.

I find them a solid, dependable, decent quality company, with the best incense nudging or getting into Heavenly, and the lowest never falling lower than Average Everyday. I am happy to continue exploring.

Pure by Nature videokart

I love this - a beautiful video, which is also a sales catalogue. The images in the video have been created from Cycle products - see something interesting, click on the video, and you can order the product which was used to create the image. Here's a promotional video of the making of the ad.

Reviews