A Saffron Sandal "premium" incense in Om Brand's Vedamrut range. My experience of Indian incense is that "premium" is used for everyday incense - what is generally called perfumed or perfume-dipped. While "masala" is the term used for more expensive or traditional or "natural" incense. The main difference appears to be that premium/perfumed will consist of a simple paste of flammable material - wood powder or charcoal, with a binder to hold it together, onto which will be applied a liquid scent, usually by dipping. The liquid scent or perfume will generally be synthetic, though could be a fragrance oil or essential oil. Incense houses will compete on price and quality and marketing. Better quality perfumes will be stronger and longer lasting; better incense houses will develop their own scents in house rather than buying generic scents, and will spend more money on marketing and packaging. Meanwhile, masala incense has a more sophisticated paste into which the fragrant ingredients along with binders and softeners such as honey, and scent carriers or amplifiers, such as halmaddi, or benzoin, or DEP, or vanilla crystals, are blended. Halmaddi is the more traditional ingredient, though many incense houses are using DEP as it's cheaper and easier to use. And it's likely that some houses use both halmaddi and DEP. As regards the fragrant ingredients, it appears to me that while originally there would have been a high percentage of dried ingredients - flower petals, resins, etc; these days it is often mainly some form of liquid perfume, ranging from pure essential oil to synthetic scent, with any number of combinations and blends used by the house to create an appealing and lasting fragrance at a target price. Anyway - to help indicate to consumers, and to justify the higher price, that they have a masala, there are usually some common signs - for example, the masala incense will traditionally have a melnoorva power applied to the paste, and the descriptor will indicate the quality. The descriptor "Premium Incense Stick" in my experience usually signifies an incense using a simple paste; while "Masala" or "Herbal" or "Natural" or "Flora" or "Traditional", will signify an incense that uses a sophisticated (and more expensive) paste. This incense says "Premium" on the pack, though the sticks inside give the appearance of being masala. The paste is thicker, and has a dusting of melnoorva powder. So what is it? Incense in the "scented" Trishala range may also be termed "Premium", such as the Chandan and Patchouli. But, hey, what's in a name? Well, prejudice and expectation for a start....
I like this incense. The stick looks quite rough and earthy, but in a hearty, generous, unpretentious way, rather than careful or cheap. There's something honest and appealing about the appearance. The stick is 9 inches with just over 7 inches of paste. The scent on the stick is quite sharp with volatility - a little too much really so it's difficult to get at and appreciate the aroma. There's florals, there's leather, there's paint stripper, shoe polish, some woods, a touch of honey, a little peppery or spicy... quite fascinating and somewhat compelling, with distinct saffron elements. Laid open on my desk for a day and a night, and there is a dark, sombre, somewhat chemical saffron note in the room - which is more intriguing and attractive than I'm making it sound.
There is a fair amount of black smoke on lighting the stick, and it burns hungrily, though once blown out, the stick smoulders in a steady fashion producing a more moderate column of dark grey smoke than I had anticipated. And now the sandalwood makes itself known. Sweet and creamy. I don't know how much or if at all the sandalwood is natural. There are several well known and very effective synthetic sandalwood oils, such as Sandalore, Sandaxol / Sandal Mysore Core, and Bacdanol. Perfume makers discuss which one is best to use on Reddit forums; though it is generally considered best to use a variety of different synthetics along with natural sandalwood oil because people react differently to aroma compounds, and also because combining them gives a more rounded and complex aroma. It's difficult to know when a sandalwood scent is natural, synthetic, or a blend. What I do know is that I like it. I tend to like most sandalwood incenses and perfumes. Yes, it's a little smoky now and then, a little blurry now and then, it lacks some of the sweet creamy depths of my favourite sandalwoods, and I'm getting little of the saffron notes (just hints here and there to heighten and contrast the sandalwood). But, quibbles aside, this is, on a personal level, an attractive incense that I have enjoyed burning. And I've been pleased that I was sent several sample packs.
I like this incense. The stick looks quite rough and earthy, but in a hearty, generous, unpretentious way, rather than careful or cheap. There's something honest and appealing about the appearance. The stick is 9 inches with just over 7 inches of paste. The scent on the stick is quite sharp with volatility - a little too much really so it's difficult to get at and appreciate the aroma. There's florals, there's leather, there's paint stripper, shoe polish, some woods, a touch of honey, a little peppery or spicy... quite fascinating and somewhat compelling, with distinct saffron elements. Laid open on my desk for a day and a night, and there is a dark, sombre, somewhat chemical saffron note in the room - which is more intriguing and attractive than I'm making it sound.
There is a fair amount of black smoke on lighting the stick, and it burns hungrily, though once blown out, the stick smoulders in a steady fashion producing a more moderate column of dark grey smoke than I had anticipated. And now the sandalwood makes itself known. Sweet and creamy. I don't know how much or if at all the sandalwood is natural. There are several well known and very effective synthetic sandalwood oils, such as Sandalore, Sandaxol / Sandal Mysore Core, and Bacdanol. Perfume makers discuss which one is best to use on Reddit forums; though it is generally considered best to use a variety of different synthetics along with natural sandalwood oil because people react differently to aroma compounds, and also because combining them gives a more rounded and complex aroma. It's difficult to know when a sandalwood scent is natural, synthetic, or a blend. What I do know is that I like it. I tend to like most sandalwood incenses and perfumes. Yes, it's a little smoky now and then, a little blurry now and then, it lacks some of the sweet creamy depths of my favourite sandalwoods, and I'm getting little of the saffron notes (just hints here and there to heighten and contrast the sandalwood). But, quibbles aside, this is, on a personal level, an attractive incense that I have enjoyed burning. And I've been pleased that I was sent several sample packs.
Date: Feb 2024 Score: 37
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