Temu Yongchun County Small Auspicious Clouds Ambergris

 

Second review - scroll down for earlier

As an everyday low cost Chinese incense, I was expecting this "ambergris" fragranced incense to use Ambroxan or Cetalox, which are highly regarded aroma compounds used as base notes in perfume or explicitly to replicate ambergris; however the ingredients list shows natural fragrances such as agarwood, sandalwood, frankincense, and cloves, which are used as the ambergris substitute. To be fair, the result is acceptable as a general everyday gentle room freshener, although, as is common with Asian incenses, I don't quite get on with the scorched wood scent. I suspect that is just me being a little too sensitive as regards the smell of burning wood which has little fragrant resin, rather than Chinese incense (or Asian incense in general) being especially nasty. It's each to their own, and try as I might I can't get into the scent of dried wood paste smouldering away. But I am aware that loads of people do like Asian incense, including Chinese. 

Anyway, though this incense maker has used natural ingredients to replicate the ambergris scent, given the reputation that Ambroxan and Cetalox have (Ambroxan is the key fragrance in Dior Sauvage), I suspect I would have enjoyed this Small Auspicious Clouds Ambergris much more if the makers had been a little bolder and up to date and had used one or other of these remarkable aroma compounds. 

I love natural, and would prefer all my incense to be natural. But if you haven't the money to make a good natural, then use what money you have, combined with skill, knowledge, and a step into the modern age, to make the best ambergris scent that you can. I think that one of the reasons that Indian incense dominates the world in both sales and influence, is that they are bold and forward thinking, and where necessary will use a modern aroma compound if it makes sense. 

All that said, I enjoyed this a little more than last time. Some floral and gourmand notes are pronounced enough to battle it out with smouldering wood during the burn, and to leave a fairly pleasant after burn scent. 

Date: Jan 2026   Score: 26

First review

Ambergris is a traditional perfume ingredient. It is produced in the stomach of a whale, and is occasionally washed ashore. Trade in ambergris is banned in some countries, such as USA and India, but is allowed in others, such as China and the UK. It has a musk aroma, though is also used in perfume as a fixative. 

The Google translation of the ingredients indicates that this doesn't contain any actual ambergris, but, rather, a number of natural ingredients intended to replicate the scent: "Agarwood, sandalwood, frankincense, cloves, nardostachys grandiflora (spikenard)".  

The five tubes of Small Auspicious Clouds

The scent on the tablet is delicately perfumed. It's like a floral scented soap, with a hint of sandalwood base notes. It's a fairly volatile aroma for a Chinese incense. Reasonably acceptable, and kinda commercial, it's not really my thing. It doesn't say quality, and it's only interesting in the sense that this is intended to be a musky sort of incense, yet comes across as prettily floral, so there's a curiosity as regards if this is the intended scent, or have they put the wrong tablets in the tube. It also presents as a synthetic room freshener or clothes conditioner scent rather than anything natural. 

The scent on the burn is a blend of the synthetic florals found on the tablet and smouldering cardboard. The florals do tend to dominate over the smouldering cardboard so the end result isn't offensive. There's a hint of butterkist, which adds a moderate interest. Ho hum. 

Available on Temu for around £5 for a pack of five different fragrances. 

Date: Sept 2025   Score: 24

***

Good & bad Chinese incense