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| Second review - scroll down for earlier |
Agarwood from the island province of Hainan is regarded as among the finest agarwood in China - it is called the Crown of Agarwood, and was used in Imperial courts. However, not all incense from Hainan is equal. Wild agarwood is prized over cultivated agarwood; and there is good quality cultivated Hainan agarwood as well as poor quality. This Hainan agarwood is likely to be poor quality cultivated with little resin, so is likely to be dry and lacking in aroma. However, it is assumed that agarwood identified as Hainan is going to be more expensive than generic agarwood, with the "if it's more expensive it's gotta be better" lemmings following each other over the edge to buy the more expensive stuff.
The other Yongchun County Agarwood, the Jiang Zhen "True River" Agarwood, "has a gently savoury backbone like a herbal veg dish, with sweet and floral higher notes to flesh it out. It's pleasant. Limited and everyday, but nevertheless pleasant." Though, as usual, the scorching wood smell holds it back, for me.
The other Yongchun County Agarwood, the Jiang Zhen "True River" Agarwood, "has a gently savoury backbone like a herbal veg dish, with sweet and floral higher notes to flesh it out. It's pleasant. Limited and everyday, but nevertheless pleasant." Though, as usual, the scorching wood smell holds it back, for me.
This Hainan Agarwood is sweeter than the "True River", and has a more pronounced fragrance, so does lift itself somewhat more above the miasma of the scorched wood smell. I like it. I think my original score of 23 was a bit mean, as this is actually quite nice.
Date: Jan 2026 Score: 28
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| First review |
This is one of five tubes of Chinese small cloud incense from Temu, made in Yongshun County. Google translation of this tube: "A small sample of Hainan agarwood powder with five ingredients." So there is some genuine agarwood in here, but a small amount, and possibly/probably from the non-fragrant part of the wood. One of the main ingredients is sandalwood as the combustible, and as there is no actual sandalwood aroma, that is likely to be from the non-fragrant part of the wood.
I don't fully subscribe to the notion that "you get what you pay for", because if you're reasonably knowledgeable and aware you can usually get the same thing for less if you look around or bargain. Anyone who pays the windscreen price of a car will simply be paying more for the same car they could have got for possibly a few thousand less if they'd bargained. Those who study incense know they can get the same incense for less if they avoid Western traders, and simply go direct to the source. Recent example - VNS Kesar Hina can be bought from VNS at 100 rupees (85p), from Padma Store for 6.85 Euros (£5.98), or from Everest Trader for $5.00 (£3.71). Same incense, same amount, very different prices. There are advantages buying from a local trader - it's more secure, you're building a relationship, and getting the benefit of someone curating the incense for you. Both those traders are highly respected and trusted, and occasionally come up with new sources that are quite fascinating. Many people (including myself as regards Padma - I've not yet bought from Everest because they are on a different continent to me) find it worth buying from them for several reasons. My point is that the very same incense can be bought for considerably less, and that paying six times more doesn't improve the incense itself, even though people may feel the extra payment is worthwhile for other reasons.
So, I don't fully subscribe to "you get what you pay for", however, there are times when paying a low amount will result in a poorer product than would otherwise be the case if you'd paid more. In the case of low prices I'm always willing to experiment because it's a small financial risk, and the rewards may be impressive. And the journey itself is often valuable in terms of what is learned. I am a little more cautious about spending £140 for 14g of incense as a blind experiment. Curious. Yes, for sure. But willing to part with that amount of money for an incense I may not like? No. Not yet anyway. Though more experiments like the Yongshun County Goose Pear increase the possibility my curiosity overcomes my prudence.
I don't fully subscribe to the notion that "you get what you pay for", because if you're reasonably knowledgeable and aware you can usually get the same thing for less if you look around or bargain. Anyone who pays the windscreen price of a car will simply be paying more for the same car they could have got for possibly a few thousand less if they'd bargained. Those who study incense know they can get the same incense for less if they avoid Western traders, and simply go direct to the source. Recent example - VNS Kesar Hina can be bought from VNS at 100 rupees (85p), from Padma Store for 6.85 Euros (£5.98), or from Everest Trader for $5.00 (£3.71). Same incense, same amount, very different prices. There are advantages buying from a local trader - it's more secure, you're building a relationship, and getting the benefit of someone curating the incense for you. Both those traders are highly respected and trusted, and occasionally come up with new sources that are quite fascinating. Many people (including myself as regards Padma - I've not yet bought from Everest because they are on a different continent to me) find it worth buying from them for several reasons. My point is that the very same incense can be bought for considerably less, and that paying six times more doesn't improve the incense itself, even though people may feel the extra payment is worthwhile for other reasons.
So, I don't fully subscribe to "you get what you pay for", however, there are times when paying a low amount will result in a poorer product than would otherwise be the case if you'd paid more. In the case of low prices I'm always willing to experiment because it's a small financial risk, and the rewards may be impressive. And the journey itself is often valuable in terms of what is learned. I am a little more cautious about spending £140 for 14g of incense as a blind experiment. Curious. Yes, for sure. But willing to part with that amount of money for an incense I may not like? No. Not yet anyway. Though more experiments like the Yongshun County Goose Pear increase the possibility my curiosity overcomes my prudence.
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| The five tubes of Small Auspicious Clouds |
In the meantime, what did I think of this Hainan Agarwood? Well, despite all my quibbles above, I actually quite liked this. A perfume has been used with a pleasant albeit slight soapy floral nature, and this is strong enough to cover the aroma of smouldering wood. Not a profound or interesting incense by any means, but a modestly pleasant and lilting floral room freshener. There are some woody notes at the base, but these are not clear enough to describe as agarwood.
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