Balaji Escentials Jasmine

 

Balaji Escentials is a new range. There are eight scents in the range - all traditional mono-scents with an eye on quality. It was launched last year in Latin America, and - apparently - in Europe, though my contact at Balaji, Ashish, has been unable to provide me with any outlets. 

The Escentials range

 

The company chose the name Escentials because it was unique, and so could be trademarked in India. There is an Escential Essences in America, which may make trading there under that name difficult. 

I'm not really a big fan of mono-scents (with notable exceptions such as patchouli), nor of floral scents, nor of jasmine. However, this has blown me away. Yes it's jasmine, yes it's floral, yes it's a mono-scent, but it is divinely done, and is nearly the best jasmine incense I've yet had (Shroff just take the biscuit with their Mogra).  

It's a standard modern perfumed masala in a Satya sized and shaped box, and the sticks are the standard size and appearance of six inches of charcoal paste on an 8 inch bamboo splint. The scent on the stick is jasmine - quite a green, earthy, fresh and floral jasmine. I'd have liked more base notes to balance out the sharp green floral notes, but this is just the stick scent, so it's OK that it just gives us this welcoming burst of floral delight to invite us to light up the stick. 

The scent on the burn is more balanced - the base notes are now here: woody, softly musky, slightly sweet, touches of patchouli, hints of vanilla, and floating deliciously on top, that sharp, fresh, green fragrance of jasmine. It's a soothing, delicious accord. Sharp enough to be clean and refreshing, yet cool and gentle enough to be relaxing. I'll emphasise again that I'm not a lover of jasmine nor of single focus scents, but I really do like this!  

Date: Nov 2024    Score: 41

***

Balaji Agarbatti Company

Best jasmine incense