Incense In The Wind

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Sunday, 30 March 2025

Xiang Lian Xing Zhou Shuichen (Water Sinking Agarwood)

 


This is pleasant. Modestly pleasant. A savoury wood aroma, like a well cooked and seasoned meal - plenty of herbs and veg, and something darker and meatier. Ingredients are given by Google Lens as: "Xingzhou water agarwood powder, sticky powder".  The translation of the name Xing Zhou Shuichen has been difficult, with various versions offered - quite often simply given as "sandalwood", but it is meant to be agarwood. The "water sinking" part is misleading. Water sinking agarwood is regarded as the finest quality agarwood - the amount of dark fragrant oil in the wood causes it to sink. However, "water sinking" is a common term in China for agarwood. In China it is often known as "sinking wood" - 沉木.  Those two symbols are at the bottom of the name, shown sideways in the above picture. Xingzhou is a name for Singapore (星洲), but while the second symbol is the same, the first is a little different. My assumption is that the Xing Zhou in the name refers to the place where the agarwood came from. 

Anyway, yes I find it pleasant, but rather modest. It does leave a pleasant background fragrant wood aroma in the room for a little while afterwards, but not for long. It's an ok incense, just a bit underwhelming in strength, depth, length, and complexity. 

Available as part of a set of 11 fragrances from Amazon, Temu, and Shein, for around £8. Or by itself from Dylans Den for £2


Date: Mar 2025   Score: 24
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Xiang Lian


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