Milo's Temple Maha Milo

 

These are fat flora/fluxo style sticks.  This is sold in regular and  XL versions. Though not marked as such, I suspect that mine is the XL version. Be interesting to compare the two versions side by side. Though thickness appears to a regular feature of sticks sold as "flora", "fluxo", or "supreme", it is not necessarily a defining characteristic, which appears to be more about the amount or weight of oils used (though I've also had quite dry versions of "flora" sticks,  so I'm still working my way into this descriptor). Craig describes the stick (both versions) as containing "43 all natural ingredients including dried flowers, honey, ghee, tree resins and essential oils".  Gosh. That's a lot. I wonder if that is like Châteauneuf-du-Pape wine which is promoted as having eighteen different varieties of grape, but what that means is that the wine maker has eighteen varieties to choose from, rather than that each bottle will contain eighteen different grape varieties. 

The scent on the stick is initially fruity and floral with elements of violets and oranges - it's lovely and compelling. As is often the case, the fragrance on the burn is not as fresh and exciting as the scent on the stick, but compensates with warmth and woodiness. It's a surprisingly (for its size) gentle and unassertive burn fragrance. I like it - a blend of woods (mainly a fairly crude sandalwood) and florals, with some hints and memories of the exotic fruits on the stick. There's an awareness of halmaddi rather than vanilla or DEP, which makes this a little dry and prickly, but softly so. 

Craig of Milo's Temple sources from Ramakrishna in Goa, who used to supply Paul Eagle of Happy Hari, until they fell out over money (a common story with Paul, unfortunately).  And there's something familiar about this incense. I don't have a good scent memory (indeed, I have an appalling memory for most things - I am more of an in-the-moment sort of person), so I can't bring any specific incense to mind, though Queen of Lotus and Meena Supreme  (which is either a very good copy, or is the original rebranded - I think Paul used the original) are close - and, according to Paul, Rama was sourcing from elsewhere, so this could be made by any number of incense houses.  But, whoever makes it, this is a lovely incense, and I can see why Craig calls it his flagship incense.  

Available from Milo's Temple on Etsy with a minimum 5 pack purchase for £33, or in the smaller "regular" size 5 pack for £27, or  as part of a mixed five pack deal for £29.  

I am putting this into my Purgatory category for at least a month, after which I will revisit and decided then if this should be classed as World Class/Top Drawer or Heavenly/Something Special. 

Date: Feb 2024    Score:  45

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Flora, Fluxo, and Supreme