Koya's Eva For Ever! Rose Premium Incense

 

Third review - scroll down for earlier

The rose scent on the stick is heady, blooming, fresh, and glorious. Green, softly but tingly sharp. Herby. A little bit soapy. Some bergamot. A curious blend of rose water and Earl Grey.  Nice one. 

I can't recall why Koya's sent me some samples back in 2021 - I seem to have the early part of our communication missing, and the guy dealing with me, Junaid, has moved on, so I don't wish to bother him. But it is possible they were looking for some feedback on how their incense would be received in the West. I found their perfumed incense professionally made, long-lasting, heady, and generally good quality everyday room-fresheners. I found their masala incense great, and a number of them I consider world class. Yet they still don't appear to have an outlet in the West. I know that Eugene of Bhagwan approached them to set up a rebadge deal, but they were  only interested in selling under their own name - I have full respect for that. I did consider doing a deal with them, and they said they would sell to me at factory price provided I pay for shipping. But I pulled out because my health and energy is variable. It's a shame that such a decent quality incense house should not be available in the West. 

Anyway. Yes, the burn. Considering I got this in 2021, the burn is remarkably crisp and fresh. It burns happy at the 20-40 degree angle of a standard flat incense-stick holder. It's a warm floral scent, slightly warmer and darker than the scent on the stick, but essentially just as floral and heady.  It is just a floral scent - there's nothing new or exciting here with no contrasts or challenges, so it's not going to be a flyaway score, but it's certainly attractively sweet and floral. 

Date: July 2024    Score: 35 

Second review

I'm not a fan of rose perfumes, but this is a pleasant one. Many of them, especially the synthetic ones, tend to end up smelling like old ladies' knickers - kind of stale and musty with the faded feminine joy of a heady red summer rose. But this one is largely bright and joyful. Yes there are musty notes, but they are not overbearing, and this does have the feel of a bowl of rose petals informed with a rose essential oil.  Most rose scents are based on the damask rose, which is the main rose distilled for attars and essential oils. Synthetic rose scents combine several ingredients in order to replicate the complex natural fragrance of the damask rose. 

Though there are some dusty woody notes in this Eva For Ever! Rose incense, it is on the whole a convincing rose scent. There are citric notes, green notes, faint wood notes, a suggestion of patchouli floating by, some herbs, and a alluring and subtle candy sweetness, backed by a rather sensual musky headiness.  Nice. I like Koya's. I randomly return to their incense and it usually manages to delight me. Even their rose.  

 

Date: Feb 2024   Score: 35 

First review

A decent quality perfumed incense from Koya's Eva range, which seem to be the most popular general fragrances: Jasmine, Sandalwood, etc. The packs are colourful, but simple, and retail in India at 10 Rupees (approx 10p) for 20g 

This stick consists of a basic charcoal paste machine extruded onto a rough bamboo splint dyed a rose pink. The scent comes entirely from an applied perfume. There are solvent notes here so the perfume would contain DEP or agarbatti oil, though there may well be some essential oil. It does have the distinct fragrance of roses - slightly heady, slightly crisp fresh pink roses. 

 

It burns evenly and cleanly with a consistent and pleasant aroma of rose. There are no off notes, for a perfumed incense this is decent stuff, up there with HEM and Moksh. This is not a cheap and cheerful, bargain basement perfumed incense, it does the job with clarity and satisfaction. If what you want is a clean, bright, simple rose scent in the house, then this serves well at a modest price. 

Let's be aware of what this is not: this is not an incense to study, an incense for meditation or aromatherapy, an incense for spells or incantations, or an incense to impress your incense geek friends. This is simply a perfumed incense to freshen up the house, and if what you want is an aerosol can type rose scent, then this does that job in a simpler, more natural way. 

Date: Feb 2022    Score:  25  

***

Best rose incense

Koya's Agarbathi