R. Expo / Song Of India Sweetness

 

A dry thin dhoop, the sort they make in Japan and Tibet, by R. Expo / Song Of India, an Indian company based in Noida,  a new city just outside of Delhi. They started out in 1932 as an independent business called Mathur Perfumery Works hand-making traditional incense, then branched out in 1972 to create a sales outlet in America. 

The dhoop style of incense is the original style of blended incense made in India, which was then copied by neighbouring Asian countries; India, however, developed the bamboo core incense which proved popular, so few dhoops, especially dry dhoops are still made in India. Those that are still made  tend to be rather good. This one, however, is rather too much like the Tibetan and Japanese incenses, especially Tibetan. It is fairly herbal, and as such a little crude and a bit smoky. Imagine burning some dried herbs, and dried lavender, and that's roughly what you have here. There's some spice, some grass, a little similar to marijuana grass, and at base some woodsy notes, hovering between cedar and sandalwood. It's not unattractive, but doesn't really pull together, and is just a little too earthy for me. It's not a hopeless incense - indeed, I can imagine folks who like Japanese and Tibetan incense liking it, but it's not for me. I prefer my incense to be softer, more refined, more balanced, less harsh, less blunt and earthy. It's fairly sombre. It reminds me of Sifcon's earthy and simple Cinnamon Cedarwood, though that was quite magical, vibrant and sexy, while this is rough and smoky. Like the difference between Sean Connery's Bond, and a pee-stained drunk in  a pub. 

I'll stress that it's not an offensive incense - indeed, it works well on its own terms as a down to earth, honest, natural concoction, but it's simply not what I want when I burn incense.  


Date: Oct 2021    Score: 20 

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R. Expo / Song Of India