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| Second review - scroll down for earlier |
I've been really impressed with Vijayshree's Golden Nag series. Clearly aimed at the Western market with Satya sized boxes, and leaning on the Nag name (strongly associated with Nag Champa, a hugely popular and acclaimed - almost legendary - scent). I have ordered a bunch of them, which I will be getting around to review shortly. In the meantime, this Golden Nag Temple, a scent I reviewed last year, came to hand as I started to clear out one of my boxes. It's a standard modern masala stick - 6 inches of charcoal paste hand-rolled onto a plain coloured 8 inch bamboo splint, and then coated with a perfumed powder.
The scent on the stick is perfumed, pleasant, musky, patchouli, vanilla, mild yet quite masculine cologne, woody, and vaguely earthy. Very in line with modern masala incense, and very likeable.
The scent on the burn is clean, professional, echoing the fragrance on the stick. It fills the room, though quite gently so it's not harsh or overwhelming; however, it is somewhat more assertive than Japanese incense. Good quality dispersal, and good quality retention. A very professional and commercial incense. This would have a wide appeal; the scent is not in any way challenging. Everything is perfumed, gentle, in harmony, and very pleasant. Personally I would like some rough edges, some interesting scents, something different, and overall that the fragrance was not so "nice". However, overall, this is a pleasant, attractive, and satisfying incense. Certainly top end of Decent Stuff, and perhaps just nudging into Heavenly.
The scent on the stick is perfumed, pleasant, musky, patchouli, vanilla, mild yet quite masculine cologne, woody, and vaguely earthy. Very in line with modern masala incense, and very likeable.
The scent on the burn is clean, professional, echoing the fragrance on the stick. It fills the room, though quite gently so it's not harsh or overwhelming; however, it is somewhat more assertive than Japanese incense. Good quality dispersal, and good quality retention. A very professional and commercial incense. This would have a wide appeal; the scent is not in any way challenging. Everything is perfumed, gentle, in harmony, and very pleasant. Personally I would like some rough edges, some interesting scents, something different, and overall that the fragrance was not so "nice". However, overall, this is a pleasant, attractive, and satisfying incense. Certainly top end of Decent Stuff, and perhaps just nudging into Heavenly.
Looking down at my review last year, and my reaction now mirrors that of then. I also note that I had the same quandary regarding if this is top end of Decent, or does it just nudge into Heavenly.
I've nudged it into Heavenly. Good stuff.
Date: Nov 2024 Score: 40
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| First review |
This is proper old school masala - the sort many of us grew up with. And I've just looked back at other reviews I've done of Vijayshree's incense, and it's all consistently high. This is lovely stuff. I've just checked, and Vijayshree's various "Golden" incenses are on sale everywhere for prices that tend to range from £1.50 to £2.00 for 15gm (which would be about 15 sticks). The sticks burn for around 35 minutes, which is on the short end of average, but to be honest, I'm OK with that as, without in any way being assertive, they fill a medium sized room and beyond with beautiful scents. Yet for some reason Vijayshree are sort of falling below the radar and not getting the attention and respect they deserve. Incense aficionados get excited about TOI and the continuance of the Happy Hari brand, yet this solid, honest, hard working, and brilliant incense maker doesn't get the love it deserves.
There is possibly something about the presentation (and perhaps the low price) that is responsible for that. The main line is Golden Nag (which appears to have around 12 different scents, all masala). The rather unadventurous packet designs and brand name doesn't make them stand out - plus they are often sold alongside commercial lines such as Anne Stokes, HEM and Satya, rather than alongside more interesting, adventurous or unusual incense. From my experience so far, while the company doesn't excite, while there is no buzz about the brand, I find Vijayshree to be a company worth checking out - and (despite my legendary backlog) I have just ordered (from The Holistice Eporium - a New Age shop on the Isle of Wight who also sell online) the rest of the Golden Nag series that I have not yet reviewed.
The sticks are 8 inches long with 6 inches of soft charcoal paste hand-rolled onto a plain machine-cut bamboo splint, and then coated in a fragrant soft brown wood powder. The scent on the stick is very buttery, sweet, woody, vanilla, toffee, creamy, honey, delicious, inviting, light - hugely enjoyable, but somewhat narrow and lacking in interesting contrasts and balances. It feels quite commercial and somewhat child like. I love it, but something is holding me back from getting overwhelmed or passionate about it, and I think it is that narrow sweet channel of niceness. Whatever oils they have blended (and I assume there are some handmade or synthetic perfumes involved), it feels natural and soft, and a distance away from chemicals.
There is a moderate flame when lit which doesn't produce any black smoke. On the burn the stick produces a classic masala scent - sandalwood and halmaddi - along with the creamy, buttery, sweet, honeyed notes from the liquid fragrance on the stick. Gradually, as the stick settles, some of the other scents come into play, though always centred on a creamy, woody, buttery honey. Other scents in play are elusive - mostly noticed just drifting almost out of notice, or when not paying attention. They are mostly base and middle notes, such as musk and patchouli, some amber. This is lovely. The burn is not as sweet and childlike as the stick. This burn is getting more serious now, though, still, the range seems narrow and unadventurous - a little too classic. Some herb, some eucalyptus, some sense of the outdoors. I'm not finding much in the way of strong top notes - perhaps my sticks are burning too hot, though they are not in a breeze. But overall I find this a very attractive and great value stick. Clean, satisfying, and natural. Old school, and good for that.
There is possibly something about the presentation (and perhaps the low price) that is responsible for that. The main line is Golden Nag (which appears to have around 12 different scents, all masala). The rather unadventurous packet designs and brand name doesn't make them stand out - plus they are often sold alongside commercial lines such as Anne Stokes, HEM and Satya, rather than alongside more interesting, adventurous or unusual incense. From my experience so far, while the company doesn't excite, while there is no buzz about the brand, I find Vijayshree to be a company worth checking out - and (despite my legendary backlog) I have just ordered (from The Holistice Eporium - a New Age shop on the Isle of Wight who also sell online) the rest of the Golden Nag series that I have not yet reviewed.
The sticks are 8 inches long with 6 inches of soft charcoal paste hand-rolled onto a plain machine-cut bamboo splint, and then coated in a fragrant soft brown wood powder. The scent on the stick is very buttery, sweet, woody, vanilla, toffee, creamy, honey, delicious, inviting, light - hugely enjoyable, but somewhat narrow and lacking in interesting contrasts and balances. It feels quite commercial and somewhat child like. I love it, but something is holding me back from getting overwhelmed or passionate about it, and I think it is that narrow sweet channel of niceness. Whatever oils they have blended (and I assume there are some handmade or synthetic perfumes involved), it feels natural and soft, and a distance away from chemicals.
There is a moderate flame when lit which doesn't produce any black smoke. On the burn the stick produces a classic masala scent - sandalwood and halmaddi - along with the creamy, buttery, sweet, honeyed notes from the liquid fragrance on the stick. Gradually, as the stick settles, some of the other scents come into play, though always centred on a creamy, woody, buttery honey. Other scents in play are elusive - mostly noticed just drifting almost out of notice, or when not paying attention. They are mostly base and middle notes, such as musk and patchouli, some amber. This is lovely. The burn is not as sweet and childlike as the stick. This burn is getting more serious now, though, still, the range seems narrow and unadventurous - a little too classic. Some herb, some eucalyptus, some sense of the outdoors. I'm not finding much in the way of strong top notes - perhaps my sticks are burning too hot, though they are not in a breeze. But overall I find this a very attractive and great value stick. Clean, satisfying, and natural. Old school, and good for that.
Glad you enjoy them too Steve, one of my favourite budget incense also. I think Vijayshree have positioned themselves as a direct competitor to Satya which is a shame as I'd like to see them aim a little higher, they seem to mix their ingredients well (though most of their line does burn a little fast/hot). Golden Nag Buddha is always in my stash but they also have some recent additions to the line which have been a pleasant surprise. The Nag Palo Santo whilst uncomplicated actually smells of the real wood, uncommon at this price point. Nag White Sage is very soft and creamy and not as perfumed as most others, and the new Nag 7 Herbs has gone down well here.
ReplyDeleteI agree. They appear to have positioned themselves as a complement or competitor to Satya. The simple box designs, and the prominent use of the word Nag, suggests they are going after the same market, and I tend to see them where Satya is sold. I suppose my hesitation with them, and I guess it's the same hesitation others have got, is that they are rather unadventurous, treading a careful line in popular Western scents. I love the scents, but I'm not excited or intrigued. I guess my taste inclines a little more to the wild, to the overwhelming, to the challenging, to the complex, to the different. I think my taste inclines more to the Indian than the Western, and these are not quite Indian enough for me. I would take Vijayshree out to dinner, but I wouldn't get married.
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