Stamford Vanilla

 

Second review - scroll down for earlier

Stamford London, trading as Stamford, is the continuation of Aargee which was a British company based in Acton, London, and founded in 1978 to import incense and ethnic gifts. As well as importing incense such as Satya and Goloka, they sold some impressive masala incense under their own Aargee name, and ordinary but often highly scented perfumed-charcoal incense under their own Stamford brand. Around 2020 it appears that the company split, with Nimesh Radia taking the company's own label Stamford brand as Stamford London, while the incense and ethnic gifts section was taken over by Puckator. The Aargee brand, including the masala incense, appears to no longer exist. 

I have been given a bunch of Stamford samples which I plan to whip through quite quickly. We've always enjoyed Stamford's everyday perfumed incense, particularly the Mythical Range cones, but it was the Aargee masala incense that was special. The Stamford stuff was always decent, but rarely did it really satisfy or excite. 

This vanilla stick is quite modest. There is a sense of sweet vanilla, but it never really develops. It does, though, gently inform the room with a sweet and mildly uplifting scent. A reasonably pleasant everyday incense.  The blurb says: "Vanilla fragrance, used by the Aztecs to reduce stress and anxiety. Vanilla is said to help in turning your scattered energy into creative enthusiastic vitality." This appears to be a straight continuation of the Vanilla that was sold when Stamford was still a part of Aargee, and which I reviewed as part of the Moods set. A different packet design, but presumably from the same source in India. Inexpensive at around £1 for 20 sticks.

Date: May 2025   Score: 25 

First review - Aargee Stamford Moods

Vanilla is "Calming". The aroma on the stick is divine - like sweet, delicious candy and honey. When burned, the aroma is not quite so exciting, and betrays its chemical origin, but is still reasonable.

Date: June 2015   Score: 28

***

Stamford London

Vanilla