Vijayshree Golden Nag Darshan

 

My story with Vijayshree is that, starting back in 2017, I would occasionally review a pack and get seduced by the scent on the stick, and so would review on that initial enthusiasm of the scent on the "cool throw". I would rate quite high but hold back from the top scores. But still, I was very impressed. In 2023 I bought a selection of Vijayshree packs in order to explore further, but it's only recently that I have settled down to work my way through them. And, now that I am exploring more seriously, I'm finding that the bulk of the scent is on the wood powder applied on the outside of the charcoal paste. Indeed, if the wood powder is scraped off, and the paste alone is burned, there isn't much scent. So the scent, both cool throw and warm throw, mainly comes from the perfumes in the wood powder. I don't understand incense making enough to know the mechanics of this. What I have learned is that masala style incense enfolds the scent ingredients in the charcoal paste along with the fixatives (such as frankincense, vanilla, benzoin, and halmaddi), then covers the paste with a wood powder called melnoorva; while perfume-dipped incense applies the scent ingredients to the outside of the stick, usually by dipping the sticks in a fragrance solution along with agarbatti oil/DEP (diethyl phthalate). Modern masala sticks tend to perfume the melnoorva wood powder in addition to perfuming the paste so that there is a pleasant scent on the stick in addition to the fragrance aroma released during the burn. This aligns with the perfumed candle industry, who create a "cool throw" scent to give an immediate hit to attract the customer, and a "warm throw" scent to satisfy the customer when the candle is burned in order to attract repeat orders. However, I feel that some incense makers are putting most or all the scent into the melnoorva powder. Indeed, a common name these days for the melnoorva powder is "masala powder", or simply "masala". I think that is what is happening here. But what I don't know is if the finished stick is simply dipped into a scented agarbatti oil, or if the wood powder is treated with natural fixatives, such as halmaddi, frankincense, etc. Anyway, it sort of works. And that's the main thing. But it mainly works regarding the scent on the stick (the cool throw). It doesn't work as well on the scent on the burn (the hot throw). The scent on the burn is usually nice - fairly gentle, though a pleasant scent, quite clean, which tends to leave a mild sillage. But it doesn't quite have the richness, depth, and sheer gorgeousness of the scent on the stick. 

That's a long waffle. I'm still trying to establish how I feel about these Vijayshree incenses, so I'm fine turning my feelings and thoughts as I review each one. Anyway - the name of this scent, Darshan, is the auspicious glimpse of a sacred god or holy person.  Not sure how that relates to the scent on the stick. But many incenses have names which are not related to the scent, but which may attract a buyer's interest. I kinda like some of the fun names that Balarama Enterprises of Thailand use - like Wet Dream, Pink Pussy, Paris Hilton, Is Anybody Up?, Get Your Freak It's On, Final Fantasy, etc. Anyway. This scent is called Darshan. Ho hum. 

I've been sniffing and burning these Darshan sticks for a few day now, and I'm still not sure how I feel about them. Which is probably adding to the waffle - I'm kinda avoiding tackling the issue. The scent on the stick is perfumed - floral, some fruit, some fresh green, cucumber, mild sandalwood at the finish. It presents as an everyday body mist scent - kinda warm and musky, slightly sexual, but a mild, daytime sexuality. The florals and fruit prevent it from becoming too erotic. It's nice, but just a little too perfumed, a little too much like a casual, cheap, body spray. It attracts attention, for sure. But very briefly. It's just a little too familiar. A little too superficial. A little too obvious. 

This Darshan follows a slightly different path to the other Vijayshree. The others had very bold cold throws and weak hot throws. This has the opposite. The scent on the burn is not heady or aggressive, but it does make itself known. However, rather similar to the others, the scent, while very present and noticeable, is not easy to pin down. There's woods, there's perfume, there's spice. And it's OK. There's a generic "masala incense" scent. Slightly resinous. It's the sort of scent that perfumers would call "incense". Kinda exotic and Asian, with a bit of sweat thrown in. It's an OK scent. And it grows on me each time I burn it. But it doesn't really do much for me, and it never lifts me. It's OK. It'll do.

Date: Jan 2024    Score: 32 

***

Vijayshree Fragrance

Reviewed on Rauchfahne