Jahagirdar Mahek Flora is "crafted from rose, jasmine, mogra, lotus, cinnamon, camphor, jiget, honey, and an herbal binder. Their floral, warm aroma helps reduce stress, promote relaxation, and create a sacred environment." I note that the ingredients are "jasmine" and "mogra". I thought the two were the same, but it turns out that mogra refers to Arabian jasmine (Jasminum_sambac), while jasmine is likely to refer to the Common jasmine (Jasminum_officinale), which is lighter and sweeter and less waxy. Jigat, honey, and the herbal binder are not a significant part of the aroma. While honey can add a faint background warmth and sweetness, and soften some of the harsh tones of other ingredients, it is mainly used as a binder, and to aid kneading the dough. Clearly from the ingredients this is going to be a floral fragrance with some gentle spicy warmth.
As with other Jahagirdar incense (as least in the Flora range) this is a soft, moist, oil-rich stick. It is professionally made - an extruded paste lightly dusted with a dark red melnoorva/masala powder. In some respects the company's professional approach, which stands in contrast to their neighbour HMS, may put some Western buyers off because of a perceived old school hippy view that proper incense should be hand made, and so be messy and inconsistent. And there is an appeal in that romantic notion that each piece is unique, and something of the maker's soul has gone into the incense, so you can see the fingerprints and hear the singing. But the rolling out of the paste is the least artistically relevant part of the incense making process. The important parts are the recipe formulation, and the mixing of the paste. The rolling out of the paste is the unintelligent mechanical part. And yet if done poorly can prevent the incense stick working properly or consistently. It's equal to the packaging. Basic and mechanical movements which have no importance to the creation of the fragrance and the way it unfolds. But if the packaging is done poorly, the incense may go mouldy and be ruined. Utilising the benefits of human creativity to roll out the paste by machine so the incense burns evenly, revealing the beauty of the fragrance, is a mark of an intelligent and thoughtful professional. Jahagirdar's balance of old-world artistry with modern commercial intelligence is what makes them a rather special incense house.
The scent on the stick is rounded and beautiful. Rich with florals, yet grounded by warm spice and hints of sandalwood and oudh. These base notes may come from a shared house paste. The charcoal and jigat paste is possibly produced in bulk with a core fragrance accord (such as sandalwood and oudh), onto which additional scents are layered for each individual release.
The scent on the burn is lightly resinous, with a feel of oudh, though the base leaning more towards tree bark than oil, and it's the balance with the top note florals that give it the Persian ambience of oudh. It is a soft, enveloping, velvety ambience. An elegant and pleasing incense with soft yet rich florals informed and kept light by the lotus. There's a purple awareness of violets with a delicate yet warm and uplifting spicy note. All in all, very pleasing. Gently perfumed with an attractive woody base.
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