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.
Glad you like it Steve. Personally I revisited my pack of Woods many times but still could not like it. All I get is barnyard effluent, burning cow dung and detergent. I gave the remaining sticks away, and got no thanks for it. Lol.
ReplyDeleteI think the packet and the sticks themselves are not attractive, and so give a negative impression. This brand, though, is highly regarded in India, even though the scent is quite soft for such a hot and olfactive country, so I have been curious to try it for some time. I think, as such, I may have been predisposed to liking it, though I did adjust down on subsequent burns.
DeleteI like woodsy scents, and I like complex and subtle and interesting scents, so this is sort of in my area. And even though it is a soft scent, it's not a shy one, so, again, that plays toward my prejudice.
I don't think it's a quality scent. I don't think Ranga Rao are a top quality maker. But they are a decent maker. Even their lower end bargain basement perfumed-charcoal incense is acceptable. I think Ranga Rao have found a solid middle ground, and that's where their appeal lies.
I agree Steve, I've tried a few Cycle/RR varieties and while Woods is the only one I dislike I can't say I've found a gem in their line yet. We all have widely varying tastes and reading other peoples assessments is useful and informative. I would not have tried Padmini Clove if it were not for your blog, a gem in an otherwise middling incense brand.
DeleteI've just been re-burning
DeleteManmohak Oudh
and have bumped that up into my Heavenly group. It's a decent masala, and though the scent comes from a fragrant oil of some sort, possibly
reconstituted
rather than a pure essential, the formulation of the paste has kept the scent fresh in the sticks, even though over three years old, and allows the scent to be delivered smoothly and cleanly into the room.
I've been thinking about formulations quite a bit over the past few months, and I'm wondering if that's an aspect of incense making that is under-regarded. People tend to talk just about the oils used, but I'm wondering how much a skilled manufacturer can take a lower quality oil, and though appropriate fixers and binders, such as halmaddi, make such an oil shimmer and glow.
I'm wondering if Ranga Rao have found a good formulation which means that even at the lower price end they can produce decent incense from average synthetic perfume, and at the upper price end, can work wonders with an average fragrant oil.
I'm OK with folks sharing information about incense on my blog, but I do object to blatant spamming. This has been posted in several places on my blog today. I have reported it as a spamming violation to Blogger.
ReplyDelete