GR International (Sandesh)

GR International were founded in 1970, and are based in Bangalore. The company have started and abandoned a few websites, but incense-sticks-supplier.com appears to be the most recent; they started a blog early in 2013, but didn't keep up with it.  I quite like the incense GR International make. It's not grand or fussy, and is  perfume-dipped, but it's done professionally and with care. Solid, everyday incense to create a pleasant scent in your home. These cones are moulded with what appears to be a mix of charcoal and wood paste, and there's a volatile perfume which has been applied at some point in the process - this is normally done afterwards, in what is known as perfume-dipping,  though essential oils or a chemical compound can be added to the paste when being mixed, and either rolled onto the stick or shaped into cones.

I note that the branding is now GR rather than GR International. And they have a new website GRIncense. Ah, and the similarity to SAC Sandesh, which I noted the other day, is made clearer, as they were both founded in 1970 by D.N.P. Guptha,  and they have the same address in Bangalore.

So GR International and SAC Sandesh are the same company selling the same sorts of incense in the same sorts of packaging - just different brand names.  I will merge GR and SAC into one page. 

Contact details: GR Incense contact

Reviews

 

* = Review over five years old so may not be reliable

GR International Jasmine cones (P)
April 2018* - Score: 40↑

GR International (Sandesh) Sandalo/Sandal (P)
Jan 2024 - Score: 38↓↓↑↑↓

GR International Opium Incense Cones (P)

May 2018* - Score: 36

GR International Fengshui Earth (P)
Jan 2014* - Score: 32

   

GR International Eucalyptus (P)
April 2014* Score: 32

GR International Fengshui Metal
Dec 2013* - Score: 32

GR International Lotus Incense Cones 

May 2019* - Score: 31

GR International Tangerine (P)
April 2014* - Score: 30

GR International Greenapple cones (P)
April 2014* - Score: 28

GR International Strawberry (P)
Jan 2014* - Score: 27↓

 GR International Chandan Incense Cones (P)
April 2018* - Score: 25

GR International Lavender cones (P)
March 2017* - Score: 24

GR Musk cones (P)
May 2018* - Score: 23

GR International Rose cones (P)
April 2013* - Score: 23

GR International Coconut cones (P)
April 2014* - Score: 22

GR International Coffee (P)
April 2014* - Score: 20

GR Rose Incense Cones (P)
May 2018* - Score: 19

GR Meditation Incense Cones (P)
June 2018* - Score: 19

GR International (Sandesh)
Frankincense Incense Cones 
Jan 2024 - Score: 18 

Incense tried: 19
Highest: 38
Lowest: 18
Average: 29

Conclusion: On the whole I quite like GR International. All the incense I have tried has been perfume-dipped, but the scents have been decently blended to make, on the whole, pleasant everyday scents. I have no major complaints about GR, and I have a certain affection for some of their scents, such as the Sandalo, so I am quite happy to continue buying and exploring. And the Sandalo is a regular purchase which deserves the Incense In The Wind  "Golden Cone".

Having spent a little more time with GR International (now branded as just GR) and expanded my experience, I'm finding that the perfume the cones are dipped in is quite attractive, and initially the scent given off is decent enough for everyday use, but as the cones burn down into the thicker end, so the heat increases and the volatile perfume is burnt off too quickly  and the base material makes itself felt. As the base material is inexpensive charcoal and wood dust, the scent at this point is fairly crude, and useful only for masking bad odours in the toilet.

***

The Best Incense Makers

SAC (Sandesh)