The company make much of the quality of their charcoal, which they have registered under the name HighCharcoal; they claim that they have "the highest charcoal content of any brand currently on the market". Ambiguous wording which could be read as they have more charcoal on the stick than any other brand, which given it is smeared on quite thinly is obviously not true, but would presumably and sensibly mean they have the purest charcoal. The best charcoal is that which has heated the source material (usually wood, but could be other sources such as coconut) to very high temperatures, and so burn off any impurities. The best quality charcoal has no scent of its own, and is able to absorb and hold scents very well. The purest charcoal is used for medical purposes because it has no toxins itself, but can absorb toxins. The best charcoal can be detected by rubbing some ash on the back of your hand - the smoother it is the finer it is (I did the test, and this is a fine charcoal). All incense sticks (joss sticks) contain some form of combustible material, and, if there are oils or perfumes, some form of absorbable material. Charcoal is widely considered to be the best combustible, and the best absorbable material, and the better incense companies will strive to secure the best charcoal. So, it is promising that this American company seems to be aware of this. The sticks are thin, and a little longer than average, with just the merest smearing of charcoal and perfume. They appear to only be available from America. They can be bought from the very decent American ExoticIncense shop who ship internationally.
Gonesh and Wild Berry are both American companies who fragrance their sticks in America. Real estate and wages are higher in America than Asia, so their products will be more expensive than Indian and Asian perfumed incense, and may not provide good value for money, depending on your view. They are not "cheap" in the sense of being low cost.
Gonesh is a well established incense company - it is over 100 years old, and so is one of the oldest incense companies in the world. It carries on a traditional Indian approach to fragrance, so you are more likely to get an Indian style incense - such as Nag Champa, or single scents such as Cedarwood or Amber, though they also do more modern scents, such as Black Cherry. They use fine quality charcoal so there are no off-scents - what you smell is the fragrance. I have liked and respected the sticks of theirs that I have tried. My only complaint is that they are a little unadventurous with their scent formulations, but they are OK, and I love that they have such a long history, and are American. I found their prices to be on a par with imported incense given the costs of shipping, though, obviously, more expensive than buying direct from India or from using a locally based Indian shop (either online or physical). For what they are, I think they are acceptable value for money.
Wild Berry is a more modern and funky company. They focus on fun scents, and put more effort into the cold throw scent than the burn scent. They are relying on impulse buys as shops will stock the sticks exposed to the air. While the scents on the stick are often quite catchy and fun, the experience on the burn is usually not that great. But I live in the UK, so I assume the sticks that reach here are going to be older, and sell less quickly as Wild Berry doesn't advertise here, so some of the scent will have evaporated. I find Wild Berry scents to be fun and imaginative and modern. but the quality care is not there, as it is with Gonesh, so the experience on the burn can be disappointing at least, and awful at times. I have little regard for the company, and don't find them value for money. They are expensive for what they are.
Of the two companies I would trust Gonesh to produce the better quality fragrance.
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| Gonesh Extra Rich Cedarwood (P) Nov 2024 - Score: 35 |
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| Gonesh Extra Rich Nag Champa (P) May 2024 - Score: 33 |
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| Gonesh No. 4 Perfumes of Orchards & Vines (P) Feb 2026 - Score: 32 |
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| Gonesh Extra Rich Cherry Blossom (P) Nov 2024 - Score: 32 |
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| Gonesh No. 10 Perfumes of Herbs & Flowers (P) Feb 2026 - Score: 30 |
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| Gonesh Extra Rich Black Cherry (P) Nov 2024 - Score: 29 |
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| Gonesh No. 2 Perfumed with Oils & Spices (P) Feb 2026 - Score: 29 |
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Nov 2021 - Score: 23 |
Average: 30
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