I reviewed a sample of Jeomra's Hojari earlier this year - incense made in Germany by Georg Huber that Irene of the German incense blog Rauchfahne.de sent me. I liked it, so ordered more sticks from Raeucherwelt.de (Jeomra's Incense World), which included a "Nature & Pure" sample set for €27.90. It is always a big draw for me when incense is made locally rather than imported from India or Asia. Even though the style and formulation is essentially following the bamboo joss stick that was developed in Mysore, India around 1900, and the ingredients are sourced from all around the world (sandalwood from Indonesia, beech charcoal from Germany, frankincense from Oman (b. sacra), joss powder from Vietnam, German forest honey, Bulgarian rose absolute, blend of essential oils), there is a sense of individuality and flexibility about incense made locally, and the potential start or development of a new tradition. I feel that incense made in Europe is more likely to reflect the culture and environment of Europe.
I also like that the sticks I have from Georg Huber, though starting out in the Mysore tradition, have picked up the developments that began in New Mexico with Fred Soll's "Resin On A Stick", and are now popular in South America, and spreading around the world. There's a wonderful melange going on here where we have traditional masala (solid fragrance ingredients ground down into powder and folded into a combustible paste) combined with modern perfumed-masala incense (essential oils used as well or instead of powdered ingredients) along with a focus on tree resin being centre stage that is the essence of resin-on-a-stick.
There is a fresh, delicate, sweet, fruity scent on the stick. Neither rose nor frankincense comes immediately to mind. My first impression was strawberries and crustal sugar. Then the Turkish delight scent comes in, along with delicate fresh herbs, and some shoe polish. There's such a glorious fresh, outdoorsy feel to this scent. There's pine and fresh outdoors, daisies, young, green grass, with growing hints of wood. I like this.
Oh my gosh, when lit this is fucking stunning! The scent on the stick was attractive and full of promise, but when the stick is lit it all comes to life and the promise is delivered like there's no tomorrow. The frankincense is top and forward, and this is proper top quality frankincense - proper resin not oil. Wow! That is a revelation in itself, and reminds me of the Yemen Frankincense Sticks, but somehow cleaner, purer, better balanced, and absolutely brought to life with the use of Bulgarian rose absolute and the unnamed "essential oils". The rose absolute is used delicately and judiciously so it sweetens and heightens the frankincense rather than obscure or cloud it. I am over the moon with this and almost crying with sheer pleasure. What a supremely awesome experience this is. There's no off notes at all. It's a delicate, informed, and absolutely brilliant creation. Since I've been doing this blog I've sometimes read of incense makers being called "artists", but I've never subscribed to that. For me the creation of incense that delights is either down to knowledge and craft, or just the random luck that a customer likes that particular combination. But here is such a beautifully made incense that for the first time I feel the word artist is truly justified. This is a magnificent creation. It must be the purity of the frankincense resin that is fully engaging with the senses and the emotions and stimulating the brain while calming the body. It's an extraordinary experience. Wow!
Date: May 2025 Score: 50
I also like that the sticks I have from Georg Huber, though starting out in the Mysore tradition, have picked up the developments that began in New Mexico with Fred Soll's "Resin On A Stick", and are now popular in South America, and spreading around the world. There's a wonderful melange going on here where we have traditional masala (solid fragrance ingredients ground down into powder and folded into a combustible paste) combined with modern perfumed-masala incense (essential oils used as well or instead of powdered ingredients) along with a focus on tree resin being centre stage that is the essence of resin-on-a-stick.
There is a fresh, delicate, sweet, fruity scent on the stick. Neither rose nor frankincense comes immediately to mind. My first impression was strawberries and crustal sugar. Then the Turkish delight scent comes in, along with delicate fresh herbs, and some shoe polish. There's such a glorious fresh, outdoorsy feel to this scent. There's pine and fresh outdoors, daisies, young, green grass, with growing hints of wood. I like this.
Oh my gosh, when lit this is fucking stunning! The scent on the stick was attractive and full of promise, but when the stick is lit it all comes to life and the promise is delivered like there's no tomorrow. The frankincense is top and forward, and this is proper top quality frankincense - proper resin not oil. Wow! That is a revelation in itself, and reminds me of the Yemen Frankincense Sticks, but somehow cleaner, purer, better balanced, and absolutely brought to life with the use of Bulgarian rose absolute and the unnamed "essential oils". The rose absolute is used delicately and judiciously so it sweetens and heightens the frankincense rather than obscure or cloud it. I am over the moon with this and almost crying with sheer pleasure. What a supremely awesome experience this is. There's no off notes at all. It's a delicate, informed, and absolutely brilliant creation. Since I've been doing this blog I've sometimes read of incense makers being called "artists", but I've never subscribed to that. For me the creation of incense that delights is either down to knowledge and craft, or just the random luck that a customer likes that particular combination. But here is such a beautifully made incense that for the first time I feel the word artist is truly justified. This is a magnificent creation. It must be the purity of the frankincense resin that is fully engaging with the senses and the emotions and stimulating the brain while calming the body. It's an extraordinary experience. Wow!
Date: May 2025 Score: 50
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