Padma Store Happy Hari Queen of Roses

 

Ashok of the excellent Padma Store has a large supply of Corey Topels' Absolute Bliss Queen of Roses, which is believed by Corey and Ashok to be made by the same maker of Paul Eagle's Happy Hari Queen of Roses. Ashok has Paul's original label template, so the labels (minus the barcode) are exactly the same as used on Paul's incense.  Available from Padma Store at 4.24 Euro for 10g.  

The stick is 8 inches with 7 inches of firm black paste that has been hand rolled onto a plain machine-cut bamboo splint. The paste has been lightly covered with a pinkish fine wood powder. There is a wonderful scent on the stick. Silky smooth and sweet with distinct floral notes. Much more attractive than both the Absolute Bliss Queen of Roses and the original Happy Hari Queen of Roses, though less fascinating than the original. 

On being lit the flame catches and burns greedily, producing black smoke. When the flame was blown out the stick initially settled into a steady burn producing a soft grey smoke, though at times reducing down to a thin blueish smoke, similar to the Absolute Bliss stick, and three times went out.  The scent is quite cool, ashy, with variable pleasant notes - sometimes moderately sweet with floral hints, though soon returning to the cool ashy grey aroma that I perceive as neutral to negative. The three of us varied in what we picked up, with scents ranging from peach to old socks. None of us favoured it over the AB stick. At this point I suspect I have a poor stick, and that is the problem when only working from a one stick sample.  Difficult to rate this one sample highly. 

Date: Sept 2023    Score: 25

Padma Store
Happy Hari 

Best rose incense

Reviewed on Rauchfahne

Absolute Bliss Queen Of Roses

 

Corey put a red star on this incense as he said "Everything sent your way are from imports thru Pauls contact within the last year. Believe you will find the quality on some to be much higher as some of them are a request for samples to check quality. (They provided 15 to 20gms). Put a red star on Queen of Roses and Absolut Sandal as the quality is much higher than anything Paul had sent."

Well, it's true that this incense is not the same as Paul's original Happy Hari Queen of Roses.  The original stick was 8 inches long with 6 1/4 inches of incense - this AB version is 9 inches long with 7 inches of  incense. The paste has approximately the same colour and consistency, though where the original used a brown finishing powder, the AB versions uses a pink blush finishing powder. The scent on the stick of the original is subtle and profound with touches of Virginia tobacco, while the scent on the AB is softer, more subtle, sweeter, with notes of raspberry. So, a number of differences. But do they amount to a higher quality? Or, simply, do I prefer the AB version over Paul's original? 

I love the scent on the AB stick - it's approachable, not too volatile. I find the pink blush quite appealing. It's a promising start. When lit, the flame is moderate, and there is no black smoke. When the flame is blown out, the smoke is moderate, thin, difficult to see, though has an attractive blue grey colour. This is a fairly gentle scent - it's not assertive, and without wafting it in my direction, it would take a time to be noticed. That's not necessarily a bad thing, as sometimes I do like a subtle incense that delicately informs a room rather than surrounds me in a heady rush of passion.  However, when reviewing with only one stick, a quiet, subtle incense can be a little frustrating. I'd be happier if I had more to work with. 

The scent on the burn is attractive. There's appealing scents such as raspberry ice-cream, and some of the fascinating  St Julien tobacco scent which I associate with both Paul's original Queen of Roses, but also Koya's Nirvana, one of my favourite incenses. It all unfolds slowly, so appreciation has to worked at a little, and there is some variation along the way - now it's sweet fruit, now it's slightly woody tobacco, now there's notes of tomato. We're over halfway along, and there's not much in the way, for me, of floral notes, especially rose. Not that this is a problem for me, as I'm not a floral, especially rose, fan - though I do like it when what is promised or suggested is what I get, and I am somewhat disturbed when I am directed to the sugar only to find it's salt, and vice versa. I get woods - mostly sandalwood, though some cedar as well, and that is what I also got from Paul's original. 

I like this stick. It hasn't lifted, excited, pleased, or interested me as much as Paul's original (and I shall burn a stick of that in a moment for direct comparison), but on it's own it is an attractive, subtle, warm woody scent. I couldn't say that this is made by the same maker - it feels a little too different to me in several ways, not just the length of the sticks, colour of the finishing powder, and the scents, but the overall approach. As the sticks look so different, I don't think this is a copy, I think this is someone's rose incense which bears a passing resemblance to Paul's original rose incense. I can't see them as being from the same maker, unless that maker went for such a different formulation you would consider it a new incense anyway.  

I've just lit one of Paul's original, and noted that it flared up hungrily and produced black smoke. When the flame is blown out the stick burns strongly, throwing up a decent column of soft grey smoke. The scent is much bolder and interesting, with an array of fascinating notes which interestingly contrast, so there are cool steel notes, there's warm rose scented tea,  there's herbs, marijuana (grass, not resin),  damp sandalwood, leather, wool, etc - it varies and shifts. Is this better or worse quality? I don't know. What I do know is that for me the AB version is pleasantly attractive, while the original is interesting and compelling. 

Date: Sept 2023    Score: 38 

***

Absolute Bliss (closed)

RIP Corey

Om Brand Vedamrut Lavender Premium Incense Sticks

 

Bought from Aavyaa as a combo deal with three other fragrances by Om Sai Agarbatti Works (also trading as Om Brand Agarbatti). The packaging led me to believe these would be decent masala style sticks, but they are instead perfumed-charcoal.  At £4 per packet (albeit 50g), for rather plain, unexciting everyday perfumed-charcoal, I'm not impressed.  I paid £12 for boring outhouse incense. I can get 8 x 50g packets of delightful  Rathnams Tanjore from Popat Stores for that price.  I've already reviewed the Om Brand Chandan sticks, and was not impressed. 

Sticks are 9 inches, with 7 inches of machine extruded charcoal paste. A fruity lavender scent on the stick, combined with a pine disinfectant volatility. It clears the nose and kills 99% of all known germs. It flares up on being lit, producing a black smoke, and is reluctant to being blown out. It smoulders gracefully, producing an attractive blue-grey smoke. 

It behaves much as you'd expect a bog standard chemical-perfume charcoal incense to behave. It produces a moderately pleasant low end lavender scent which is sometimes crisp, and sometimes warm, vague and smoky. There is nothing interesting about this, and it underperforms all the decent and  halfway decent perfumed incense manufacturers such as HEM, Moksh, and Tulasi.  To its credit it is a firm scent, it is on target, it burns for around 70 minutes, and it fills the room pleasantly and inoffensively. But it's not value for money. And it's not special. 

Date: Sept 2023    Score:  24 

***

Om Sai (Om Brand) Agarbatti

Best of Lavender

 What's The Best Incense In The World?

India luxury box incense

Koya's Wild Stone Premium Incense Sticks

 

In Sept 2021, the export manager of Koya's Incense got in touch to send me some samples. I'd not heard of the company, and was not expecting to find among the assortment of (quite decent) perfumed incense, some world class masala incense that I regard as the among the best or the very best incense I have burned.  

The perfumed incense is not world class, but it is solid stuff. The perfumed range appears to be split between black charcoal dipped perfume, and machine extruded perfumed, which is what this Wild Stone is. The sticks are 9 inch with the machine extruded brown paste covered approx 6 1/2 inches of the stick. The scent on the stick is perfumed. Quite modern and attractive. Rather like a car air freshener. It reminds me a little of the foil-wrapped incense that I'm quite fond of. Not Heavenly, but certainly Decent. 

When lit it burns in a steady way, releasing some black smoke until blown out when it produces a softly grey column of attractive smoke. It burns for approx 35-40 minutes. The scent is attractive though vague. It's fairly neutral, not coming out definitely in any direction. It is a little smoky, though, to be fair, this is not fresh, having been in my possession since 2021, and in my experience much perfumed incense tends to fade over time. There is an odd fish scent - not unpleasant, but it is an unusual scent to find on an incense. On the whole a pleasant enough incense, though not one that catches or holds my attention.   

Date: Sept 2023    Score:  28 

Koya's Agarbathi

Ranga Rao Cycle Brand Woods Natural Incense

  

Second Review - scroll down for earlier

A fresh pack of Woods picked up for £1 from my local corner shop. The box says: "Includes natural oils and resins cherished from time immemorial for their aromachological properties". Aromachology is a modern science, so - with the phrase "from time immemorial" - I assume the company mean aromatherapy. Aromatherapy is the use of scents to influence human behaviour, while aromachology is the scientific study of that influence.  

Volatile aroma on the stick. A little medicinal - suggestions of band-aid - which is sometimes compared to oud, especially synthetic oud such as Firmenich, along with herbs, spice, wood, glue, and Lady Esquire shoe conditioner, which contained Tetrachloroethylene. Notes of carbolic soap - or perhaps more accurately, Coal Tar Soap. It's cleansing, uplifting, slightly euphoric - almost narcotic, and quite compelling.  

  

I have a new upright incense burner, which I bought off Amazon for £17. It's decent quality, quite sturdy, looks lovely, burns well, has three different size holder holes, and (which I was looking for) has space to collect the ash. Sadly, while the top screws on securely to the tower, the base does not screw onto the tower, so moving it is precarious, and the tower - complete with burning joss stick - can be knocked over rather too easily.  

After experimenting with upright, upside down, and the classic 30 degree angle, I found I was happier with the angled burn. I like the burn - it's warm, neutral, slightly chalky, has elements of benzoin, which present as natural. There are elements of the synthetic oud noted on the stick, so my assumption is that this stick contains a combination of synthetic oud and natural benzoin (which is also a tree resin, though less expensive). There are attractive fruit and spice notes, a little reminiscent of mulled wine, tangs of spicy orange and cinnamon. I do like this. I like it a lot.  

Date: July 2024   Score: 41 

First review

I have been burning Ranga Rao incense since at least April 2013, and have found them to be a solid maker across the range from budget to premium. They have a number of brands, though Cycle is the best known and most respected, and is the one that tends to get my higher scores. Cycle is mostly, though not exclusively, masala style. I can't remember why,  but  I've been wanting to try this Cycle Brand Woods for some time, so was pleased to see it at aavyaa for £1.50. 

The sticks are 9 inches long with 7 1/2 inches of soft, crumbly black paste hand-rolled onto a plain machine-cut bamboo splint, and finished with a thin smear of brown wood powder. There is a medicinal volatile scent on the stick. Some wood, though the largest impression is of cool menthol (which I seem to be getting a lot of recently, perhaps my mind is tuned into that). On the whole the initial impression is not encouraging. The sticks don't look attractive, and the scent, though reasonably wholesome at a distance, is not that welcoming when getting up close. The packaging is acceptable, but more sort of meh rather than wow. I do like, though, that the inner foil pack has a ziploc reseal to ensure the sticks remain fresh. I think that's the first time I've encountered that on commercial incense bags.

On lighting up, the stick burns hungrily, giving off black smoke until blown out, then it settles into producing a solid column of grey smoke. The scent is divine. Warm, woodsy, mildly sweet, mineral notes, some gentle spice, hovering around an almond benzoin scent. My first burn of this was quite heavenly, and I got quite enthusiastic. Later burns have not invoked the same response. While still being very positive, I'm not being transported. The incense is elegant, soft, welcoming, woodsy, mineral, reassuring. It gently informs the room with a pleasing, attractive, warm and woody aroma. The stick burns for approx 65 minutes. 

Date: Sept 2023   Score: 36  

***

Ranga Rao 

Reviewed on Ratnagandh

Balaji Pure Sandal Premium Dhoop Sticks

 

I first encountered a Balaji incense back in 2017 - the Red, which is available in various places in the West - and I loved it. Balaji are a well established Indian incense maker who are quite strong in the domestic market, but less known in the West. They do masala, dhoop, and perfumed incense, with a tendency to be quite heady, suitable for the Indian market with its heat, open windows, and strong mixed aromas, though less suitable for the cooler, more neutral West. I tend to like strong, heady incense with its tendency to be passionate and overwhelm; though, either consistency is an issue, or I have to be in the right receptive mood, because my response to Balaji can be variable.  

This is a pack of  4 inch long dry dhoop sticks. These have been extruded with ridge patterns. 22 sticks in a pack, which sell in India for 45 rupees, which is about 44p or 54cents, and comes with a free clay holder. Each stick burns for around 45 minutes. The scent  rises from the stick quite freely, and is a perfumed sandalwood with some crisp cool volatile notes. It is difficult to get at any contrasting scents as the menthol volatility acts as a barrier. As with much Balaji, this incense is best experienced at a distance. 

Due to the thickness the dhoop takes a while to catch, meanwhile the flame burns hungrily with noticeable black smoke.  Blowing out too early can result in having to light again. When set it burns in a steady fashion with a solid column of attractive grey smoke. Most dhoops tend to be smoky and assertive, and while this is a typical heady Balaji, it is not unduly excessive for a standard dry dhoop. The scent is glorious. A creamy, soapy, buttery, delicious sandalwood and honey. It's the sort of scent I want to wrap around me. It is common for Indian women to put incense smoke in their hair to carry the scent with them, and I can certainly imagine this would be popular for that. 

I like sandalwood, and I like heady incense, so this is my huckleberry. This is a single scent incense, though, and I tend to prefer when the aroma has more than one scent, or goes through some kind of scent journey; however, the soapy, buttery quality adds an interest, as does the honey notes. I suspect these aspects, which I find attractive, are not the result of using 100% quality sandalwood oil, but of mixing the oil with lesser quality fragrance oils; however, the end result, however achieved, lifts this incense out of the ordinary.  

Balaji products are available in the UK from Popat Stores, and some products can be found on eBay, Amazon and other locations. They ship worldwide direct from Balaji for trade customers only - they "do not ship B2C internationally due to the varying import and custom formalities for incense in different countries." 

Date: Sept 2023   Score: 40  

***

Balaji Agarbatti Company

Dhoop

Sandalwood

Gokula Connoisseur Quality Royal Tube Rose

 

Tuberose is quite a heady and highly fragrant jasmine-like night flower that has been used as a floral note in perfumes since at least the 17th century. It was used by Marie Antoinette, who imported the tuberose plant from Mexico.  It is called rajnigandha in Hindi. I have had a few other tuberose/rajnigandha incenses -  Hari Om Divine Incense Rajnigandha and Moksh Swarna RajaniGandha and Balaji Rajnigandha and SifconTuberose Gardenia - including Gokula's incense cone version: Rajnigandha, which didn't impress. This has impressed me more, though it is a little restrained for a scent that has a reputation for being highly fragrant and heady.  This is part of Gokula's Connoisseur Quality range; it normally sells for £3.45 for 20g, though at time of writing it was sold out. 

The sticks are 8 inches with 7 inches of incense - hand-rolled semi-soft black paste on a plain bamboo splint, and moderately to thinly coated with a dusty pink blush coloured wood powder. The scent on the stick is driven by a volatile fragrant oil and is fruity with a curious blend of strawberry and raspberry softened with vanilla. I prefer the scent on the stick to the scent on the burn, though the burn scent gradually seduced me, even though it didn't completely win me over.  It burns for approx 60 minutes, producing a moderate smoke with a warm, dusty scent somewhat informed by burning dried plant matter. The scent does fill a room, but is variable - sometimes being a little too smoky and acrid for pleasure, while other times is warm, perfumed, and delightful. 

On the whole a pleasant incense. Appreciated more at a distance than close up. The lighter scents seem to both carry further and linger longer than the heavy scents, and in this stick it is the lighter, fruity/floral/sweet scents that please, while the heavier scents are just a little too crude, and too much like dry garden waste.  

Date: Sept 2023   Score: 35 

***

Gokula-incense

Eyes Of the Lord Buddha Pancha Buddha Incense Sticks

 

Pleasant machine made masala style incense. Attractive perfume on the stick. Quite a commercial scent, rather like a vanilla and gentle musk based feminine body spray such as Impulse. It's likeable rather than heavenly, and reminds me of the sort of scents I encounter on foil-wrapped incense: modern, immediate, attractive, and fun.  However, there is also a definite and appealing herb aroma, that lifts this somewhat. Plus touches of freshly scrubbed oily sandalwood. Nice. The sticks are 8 1/2 inches long with 7 inches of incense. They burn for around 45-55 minutes. 

On the burn the accent is much more on the herbs than on the perfume, so there is something of the feel of a more traditional Himalayan incense. While the perfume is weaving in and out, it is the burning herbs that are more apparent. It's a likeable scent, but not really my thing. I've never really been attracted to the rough, earthy Himalayan style incense. I'm here for the attractive smells, and also the interesting and playful ones. None of those qualities am I finding here.  

Since my previous review of an Eyes Of The Lord Buddha incense,  Royal Nepal, I have been informed that the company making these is called Lovely Incense, who have a shop in Kathmandu, and a reasonably active FaceBook page. 

Date: Sept 2023    Score: 25  

***

Himalayan incense
Nepal, Tibet, and Bhutan

 What's The Best Incense In The World?

Padma Store Happy Hari Queen of Lotus

 

The Happy Hari incense that Ashok is selling in his Padma Store came from Corey Topel of Absolute Bliss. Paul Eagle, the UK importer of the Happy Hari brand, passed on details of his suppliers to Corey just before he killed himself on Christmas Day in 2016 - the arrangement had been that Corey would give Paul 10% of each order because Paul was weary with the way his business was going.  Ashok had previously dealt with Paul, and still has the templates that Paul gave him for the labels. Ashok feels certain that the incense he received from Corey is the same as the incense he received from Paul.  Combined with Ashok using the original templates for the labels (Ashok receives the sticks in bulk, and then packages them himself), Padma Store's Happy Hari is as close to the originals as you're going to find anywhere. 

  

Padma Store Queen of Lotus

 

Original Queen of  Lotus

The stick appears the same as the Absolute Bliss Lotus Flowers, which to me felt as close to the original Happy Hari Queen of Lotus as you're going to find. However, despite the similar appearance, the scent on the stick is subtly different. This is richer, deeper, creamier, more satisfying, more floral, more lotus-like, much more enticing and seducing. Hmmm. Is it actually closer to the original Queen of Lotus than the Lotus Flowers? I wish I had the original Happy Hari Lotus with me to compare, but I sent the very last stick of the original Queen of Lotus to a reader in Thailand last January as I felt he would appreciate it. 

Lotus is the national flower of India due to its significant status among several cultures and spiritual beliefs in ancient Indian traditions - it is regarded as a auspicious flower, largely due to the beauty of the petals and the heady sweetness of the scent, and that it rises above the dirty water where it is found. Most lotus perfumes are not made from the lotus plant itself, but from other plants, such as hyacinth, which have similar scents, or simply from chemical formulations. The organic compound 1,4-Dimethoxybenzene (sweet floral scent) is the primary constituent in the lotus plant that produces the characteristic lotus scent, and that would be used in most lotus perfumes. Also present in the lotus scent are eucalyptol or eucalyptus oil (woody, camphor, minty, fresh scent), terpinen-4-ol or tea tree oil (camphor scent), and linalool (floral, spicy, woody scent).

It's not always possible to tell when a fragrance is natural or synthetic. Sometimes it is obvious, particularly with cheaper products, because of "chemical" tones, but a quality synthetic which utilises the same chemical fragrance compounds as a natural product can smell just as good (or even better). The scent on this stick smells natural because it is so smooth and attractive, but - oddly, when it comes to essential oils, the rougher, wilder, earthier, more inconsistent fragrance can be the most natural one. the Absolute Bliss Lotus scent could be the natural, as it is most definitely wilder (and more interesting). Paul was always quite strong on the qualities of his  own incense and packaging. Criticism of his packaging and the cheap, shoddy nature of his labels would be met with a robust defence of not wasting materials, and that it is the incense that matters. If a stick was machine made, then that was a wonderful thing. If a stick used man made fragrances, then that also could be a wonderful thing.   

As with the Absolute Bliss Lotus, the stick is slow to ignite. I don't know the reason for this, but I suspect it may be because there is less (or no) alcohol or DEP (diethyl phthalate) in the mix - which is a good thing. The scent is clean and pure. Though it has the same strengths and weaknesses as the Absolute Bliss Lotus, in that it is rather comfortably and elegantly beige. What I said in regards to that scent I could repeat here, that it is like painting a room beige: the first impression is of a shimmering holiness, a creamy cleanliness, a bright and almost stunning wow of pristine marble beauty, but after a while it just becomes part of the background, acceptable, agreeable, comfortable, but now just background. It lacks contrasts and tension and journey. It lacks mystery and allure.  It's a great scent, and I love it. That it doesn't take me to heaven or hold my interest is an element to mention, but that shouldn't detract from what a glorious little beauty this scent is.  I think this is a tad more attractive, more commercial, more appealing than the Absolute Bliss Lotus, and it is fairly borderline on Heavenly. But, ultimately I feel this is pleasurable enough to push it positively over the border. This is as good as Paul's Happy Hari Queen of Lotus, and very likely it is made by exactly the same person.  

Date: Sept 2023    Score: 40

***

Padma Store
Happy Hari 

Reviewed on Rauchfahne

Absolute Bliss Lotus Flowers

 

Lotus Flowers is a creamy, succulent, smooth and delicious incense informed by vanilla, herbs, and floral notes.  It reminds me of Queen of Lotus, imported by Paul Eagle for his Happy Hari brand. Corey of Absolute Bliss did take over Paul's suppliers, so this may be the same incense - though I understand that Corey sold two lotus named incenses, Floating Lotus Flower and Queen of Lotus.  

The stick is 9 inches long with 7 inches of incense. It is quite a thick incense - the sort of weight and thickness I associate with incenses named flora and/or fluxo, though they often tend to be moister than this. The sticks appear to be machine made, which is consistent with the Happy Hari Queen of Lotus. Paul said that the girl who used to hand roll the incense was the same one who operated the machine. As such he felt there was a continuity.  I like the idea of hand rolling - it does give occupation to poor women, and when rolling in a group I tend to image there is social chat, and a feeling of belonging. Machine extruding produces neater, more consistent sticks which burn more evenly, though - having worked on factory machines - working on them tends to be noisy and boring and wearisome. Also, when I see pictures and films, it is nearly always men operating the machines. But they are more cost-effective for the owners so, other than the marketing value of saying "hand rolled", it is to the advantage of makers to use machine. When lit it burns for 75 to 85 minutes producing an enveloping but not too heavy scent. This offers good value. 

I don't have any of Paul's Queen of Lotus left (it appears that in Feb 2022 I sent the last stick to "someone who I think will truly appreciate it" ), but Ashok of Padma Store has a supply of Happy Hari Queen of Lotus that he sourced from Corey, and they look the same. Though don't quite smell the same on the stick. I shall burn it and review it later. 

The scent on the stick, propelled by volatile fragrant and essential oils, is  warm, neutral, pleasant, with suggestions of creamy sandalwood, waxy floral notes, herbs, and vanilla. It has that pleasant creamy blandness of skin cream. There is something about it that really appeals at first, but that appeal reduces with prolonged exposure. It never reduces to a dislike, merely a sort of satiated acceptance - a pleasing neutrality. It's rather like beige paint in a house - the first impression is of a shimmering holiness, a creamy cleanliness, a bright and almost stunning wow of pristine marble beauty, but after a while the beige just becomes part of the background, acceptable, agreeable, comfortable, but now just background. It lacks contrasts and tension and journey. It lacks mystery and allure. This Lotus Flower is beige. Stunning on first encounter, and afterwards comforting, familiar, and agreeable, but lacking in excitement and interest. 

When lit the flame is small, languid, slow, almost reluctant to consume. There is a reluctance to passion. The scent on the burn is warm, comfortable, familiar, and repeats the experience on the stick. It is a solid, quality scent which pleasantly informs the room with a neutral to sweet creamy warmth, rather like beige paint. It is a fine incense. Just not a very exciting or interesting one. It does remind me of Paul's Queen of Lotus, which initially excited me, but then on repeating burnings that excitement lessoned. The scent and the experience are so similar I feel that this has to be from the same maker.  And what I feel about this, which came to me from Corey just a year or two after Paul sent me his samples, is what I felt about Paul's Lotus the last time I reviewed it - that it is top end of Decent Stuff rather than Heavenly.  

Date: Sept 2023    Score: 38 

***

Absolute Bliss (closed)

RIP Corey

Green Tree Hand of Fatima Premium Masala Sticks

 

A modest but neat Green Tree masala incense in an attractive box with an interesting name. Gentle and respectable marketing that I can get with, and a decent though modest everyday masala incense that is appealing. Green Tree do not make incense, so this is an own label brand.  Hand of Fatima (15g) is sold at ScentedAndMore for £2.50. 

The Hand of Fatima, also known as Hamsa, has been popular in the Middle East and Mediterranean area, particularly North Africa, for around three thousand years. It is associated with Jewish and Islamic religions, as well as with Carthage and Egypt. It represents a hand and an eye, warding off which can be used to ward off evil and offer protection.  

The sticks are 8 inches long with between 5 1/2 and 6 inches of incense very neatly and tightly hand rolled onto plain bamboo splints. The hard black paste is coated in fine brown wood powder, and there is a gentle, refined, and modest perfume on the stick with barely noticeable volatility. 

The scent is clean, somewhat floral, with a gentle awareness of halmaddi. It's an attractive though modest stick, which will gently and briefly inform and lighten a small to medium sized room. Burning time is between 30 and 40 minutes. I don't think there is a lot here for the price, but all in all an acceptable low end everyday masala incense that will gently lighten a room.  

Date: Sept 2023    Score: 24 

***

Green Tree (own label)

HEM Meditation

 

A rather modest and unremarkable HEM perfumed-charcoal stick. Very neatly machine extruded on a 9 inch plain machine-cut bamboo splint with 7 inches of impregnated charcoal. The scent is mild and faintly pleasant on the stick, with note of pine disinfectant and a sharp but ghostly volatility. 

The scent on the burn is soft and vague without any definable character. It's not offensive, but neither is it exactly pleasurable. It just kind of exists as a vague general awareness of perfumed incense in a corner of the room. We lit a bunch of these and placed them around the house this morning because senior cat is now a little senile and has forgotten that he should poo outside. To its credit, the Meditation did neutralise the scent without otherwise being intrusive.  It burns for around an hour. 

Date: Sept 2023  Score: 23 

***

HEM Corporation

Hari Darshan Vanilla Incense Cones

 

Hari Darshan are domestically one of India's most successful incense makers who are starting to establish themselves in the West with some acceptable masala style incense, and  decent enough everyday perfumed incense, such as these perfumed cones.  

Vanilla is, I find, quite a pleasant scent for incense, either as an accompaniment to other scents, or as the main feature, as here. Personally I find it better  as a subtle accompaniment, enhancing, supporting, or contrasting other scents as it can become a little cloying on its own, but it works well enough here as a pleasant, sweet everyday fragrance. We are familiar with vanilla essence in many products, so the perfumed nature of the scent is not jarring. 

Modest  but pleasant everyday perfumed incense.  Quite acceptable. 


Date: Sept 2023    Score: 29 


   

We've been enjoying these cones. I'm pumping up the score. This is a delightful and decent incense that I'd be happy to buy again for a variety of uses. Good, clean, pure, and uplifting vanilla scent. Nice one. 

Date: Oct 2023   Score: 31 

***

Hari Darshan

Vanilla

Absolute Bliss Exotic Jasmine

 

We did a Jasmine v Jasmine comparison a few months back which included this Exotic Jasmine from Corey Topel's currently closed Absolute Bliss shop. We found it a beautiful incense, though in the comparison marked it down because it wasn't jasmine scented enough.  This was the conclusion: 

Absolute Bliss Exotic Jasmine. Wow, I love this one. Lots going on. Cologne. Tobacco. Fine wine. Complex weaves of scent. Reminds me of Koya's and of EL Incenses. Not really a jasmine scent, so - for the purpose of this jasmine burn off, will be marked down, but as an incense, this is wonderful.  

Corey sources his incense from the same supplier as Paul Eagle's Happy Hari and TOI in the UK, so this will likely be available from someone, though not under the Absolute Bliss brand as Corey is ill with cancer, so I'm marking this, as with all other Absolute Bliss incenses as Vintage - not available. Meanwhile if anyone would like to help Corey with his medical expenses in the hope that he will reopen the Absolute Bliss shop and make these incenses available again, please donate below. 

This has a gorgeous scent on the stick - very inviting, and very reminiscent to me as we said in the Jasmine v Jasmine review of Koya's top incense range. Absolutely intoxicating - floral, leather, tobacco, mature red wine. Really fascinating and compelling. 

The scent from the stick is present in the burn, though, sadly, with a little less clarity, and some smoke. It is warm and friendly and is a comfortable companion in the house, though doesn't quite live up to the promise of the stick. With patience and study, the scents from the stick do emerge, though in a less intoxicating manner.  If the burn were as awesome as the stick this would be truly world class. As it is, this borderline heavenly, and we feel just tips over. 

Date: Sept 2023   Score:  40

***

Best jasmine incense

Absolute Bliss (closed)

  

RIP Corey

Jasmine v Jasmine (a burn off)

Vinasons VNS Lavender

 

A sample of Vinasons Lavender which came to me via reader Eugene, who had visited Shreyas of Vinasons in Pune, and brought back a supply for his own use. Vinasons are somewhat shadowed in reputation by their neighbours in Pune, the Haridas Madhavdas family, who supply a number of private label companies, such as Gokula, Pure, and Primo. However, Vinasons are a good quality incense family, and are good enough to  stand up for themselves. As far as I'm aware, they don't supply private label companies. 

  

The sticks are 8 inches with approx 6 1/2 inches of incense neatly hand rolled onto  thin hand cut bamboo splints which are dyed lavender. The burn lasts around 70 minutes. The sticks vary a little in thickness, though on the whole are a reasonable size and of a decent weight. There is a gentle and pleasant perfume on the stick, which mostly smells of candy or parma violets, though can also have a whiff of pine disinfectant. There is an awareness of lavender, but its mostly a perfumed lavender rather than either the flowers in the field or the dried bunches. 

The burn is again pleasant. The aroma is warm and informs the room, being neither too assertive nor too discrete. It's an overall attractive scent, though perhaps a little thin and sharp at times - I would like some more body, and a little less reliance on perfume, or less reliance on the fragrant oils being thinned out. I like it as it is a relaxing and calming scent. 

Date: Sept 2023   Score: 33 

***

Vithaldas Narayandas & Sons
Vinasons

Best of Lavender

 What's The Best Incense In The World?