Deepika Black Opium Masala Cones

 

Highly fragranced cone from Deepika. The pack does say masala, though this presents closer to a perfumed incense. I think the distinction between perfumed and masala incense blurs on occasion, as a number of masala incenses do use liquid scents - anything from essential oils, through perfumes, to DEP (or agarbatti oil). When a masala incense relies heavily on liquid scents I tend to refer to them as perfumed masala. 

Cones are harder to detect the difference between masala and perfumed because they tend to look the same as they are approximately made they same way: the ingredients are made into a moist paste, which is then shaped (by hand or by mould) into a cone and left to dry. 

I like the scent of this. It is not shy at making itself known, but is not loud or aggressive. It's an attractive, characterful scent. There are a number of opium or black opium scents. They are based on  the 1977 perfume  by Yves Saint Laurent. That this is based on a well known perfume indicates even more that this is a perfumed cone rather than a masala, despite what the box says (I have learned over the years to not accept indiscriminately as fact what an incense manufacturer says).

Date: July 2022     Score: 32

***

Deepika Fragrance

Opium incenses

Deepika Palo Santo cones

 

Second review - scroll down for earlier

I've been burning cheap Chinese incense all day, so this smells gorgeous. It's all relative. But this smells sweet and musky and oily and resinous and honeyed with dollops of jam. Goodness, I've just glanced down at the score I gave it back in July 2022. Wow. This may be a different batch, and I may be coming to it from a spell of burning duff incense, but I struggle to see how I could have scored this tasty little bugger as low as 21. I'm wondering if this is a mixed up packet, but I see that in 2022 I noted there is a fruit smell. And this is a smoky little bugger. Oh gosh,  this is more than just fruit or dollops of jam, though - this is fresh grapes and aged wine. This is watermelon and cucumber and little squirts of blackcurrants. It's lovely stuff! Great fun! Not much to do with Palo Santo, but an engaging and delightful incense.

Date: March 2025    Score: 35

First review

Floral and fruit aroma on cone. Mildly woody aroma on the burn - a little hot and smoky. Modest everyday masala cone - a little too smoky for repeat purchase. Not offensive, just not that good. 

Date: July heatwave 2022     Score: 21 

***

Deepika Fragrance

Palo Santo

Deepika Sandalwood Masala Cones

 

Pleasantly though unremarkable masala incense cone. Mild sandalwood aroma. Modest everyday incense. 

Available on Amazon  as part of a pack of five assorted Deepika and a fake Satya for £7.  The sticks are sold in various locations: Silverstone Australia, Etsy, and eBay.  

They're OK, but not something I would bother to buy again. 

Date: July heatwave 2022    Score: 26 

***

Deepika Fragrance

Sandalwood

Deepika White Sage cones

 

Second review - scroll down for earlier

The claim on the box is that these are masala cones. They are clearly perfumed dipped, and a solvent has been used to dilute the fragrance oil and to strengthen the scent. It works. These are quite strong. We are quite happy to use them as a room-freshener in the toilet - the fragrance is strong enough to cover up smells, and is quite pleasant. It produces a fair amount of smoke, and is fairly assertive, so is best used with a window open, and shouldn't be used when in the same small room. 

It has a cleansing woody-herbal aroma, quite oily and resinous, with touches of turps. It's OK. 

Date: Mar 2025    Score: 26

First review

Attractively pleasant incense cone bought from Amazon as part of  a package of five plus a Satya for £7.  I got it as an add on to make up a £20 purchase in order to get free delivery. Sadly the Satya is a crude fake. The quality and scent is OK, but it's not Satya Nag Champa - it's a pleasant, sweet, flowery cone, so no worries about it. But it's not top drawer. 

I have not found out much about Deepika. The company is called Deepika Fragrance, and there is a website listed on the boxes, but it is not active, and some attempts to reach it have led to spoof sites, so be careful!  I found out that the company is based in Bangalore, and is run by a Hindu family, headed by Harish Gupta, with the contact person being  Ajay Gupta. I also found some photos of the shop on 1st Block, Rajajinagar: [2025: I no longer think the shop photos relate to Deepika - I think the company was founded in 2018 and at some point before 2020 went bankrupt, and this is bankrupt stock]

The Deepika White Sage cones are made from a paste and formed in a mould, then dried firm, during which the top sometimes droops. The scent on the cone is quite herbal, fresh, and cleansing with notes of cologne (plum, musk, patchouli, alcohol). Very nice. These scents return on the burn, though mildly blurred with minor off-notes from smoke and hot charcoal. On the whole a pleasant everyday incense cone. This is not top drawer stuff, but is perfectly fine for an everyday burn, creating a decent slightly woody/musky scent with some herbal awareness of sage. Nice.  

Date: July 2022   Score: 29 

***

Deepika Fragrance

White Sage

Koya's Eva Sandal Premium Incense

 

A pleasant everyday perfumed incense. Good, gentle, informative background scent based on woody notes, mainly sandalwood.  It's not elaborate, but it works fine.  We've enjoyed burning these sticks. Be quite happy to buy these again as a low cost everyday incense. 



Date: July 2022    Score:   30 

Sandalwood

Koya's Agarbathi