What is perfumed-incense?
Some folks like masala style incense (fragrant ingredients wrapped in the paste), some like perfumed incense (fragrance applied to the paste externally by spraying, dipping, or coating in powder), some like perfumed-masala incense (fragrance is wrapped in the paste and also added externally), some just like incense. I just like incense. What, for me, matters most is the fragrance that is released when the incense is lit up and the smoke starts to waft around the room.
Does perfumed-incense sometimes smell false or chemical? Yes.
Does perfumed-masala style incense sometimes smell false or chemical? Yes.
Does masala style incense sometimes smell false or chemical? Yes, but less frequently.
Does perfumed-incense have a wide range of fragrances? Yes.
Does perfumed-masala style incense have a wide range of fragrances? Yes, but somewhat less than straight perfumed-incense.
Does masala style incense have a wide range of fragrances? Certainly a decent range, though the masala incense customer base prefers more traditional scents, so there will be more wood, floral, and wood-floral scents than the often more sophisticated or modern and fun scents that are commonly offered in perfumed-incense, especially the perfumed-incense that is sold to the Western market, such as by Wild Berry, Juicy Jay, Hem, and Gonesh.
Who are Gonesh?
I have found Gonesh to be a decent perfumed-incense company. I like and enjoy their scents. They are an American company who have been making incense since at least 1923 when they took over The Hindu Incense Company based in Chicago, and made incense cones and burners. It was in the Sixties that they introduced incense sticks, and changed their name from the Hindu Incense Company to Gonesh. They have decent sales in the home fragrance and lifestyle market, and are generally regarded as accessible and vibrant, though not as an authentic or traditional incense maker.
Does perfumed-masala style incense sometimes smell false or chemical? Yes.
Does masala style incense sometimes smell false or chemical? Yes, but less frequently.
Does perfumed-incense have a wide range of fragrances? Yes.
Does perfumed-masala style incense have a wide range of fragrances? Yes, but somewhat less than straight perfumed-incense.
Does masala style incense have a wide range of fragrances? Certainly a decent range, though the masala incense customer base prefers more traditional scents, so there will be more wood, floral, and wood-floral scents than the often more sophisticated or modern and fun scents that are commonly offered in perfumed-incense, especially the perfumed-incense that is sold to the Western market, such as by Wild Berry, Juicy Jay, Hem, and Gonesh.
Who are Gonesh?
I have found Gonesh to be a decent perfumed-incense company. I like and enjoy their scents. They are an American company who have been making incense since at least 1923 when they took over The Hindu Incense Company based in Chicago, and made incense cones and burners. It was in the Sixties that they introduced incense sticks, and changed their name from the Hindu Incense Company to Gonesh. They have decent sales in the home fragrance and lifestyle market, and are generally regarded as accessible and vibrant, though not as an authentic or traditional incense maker.
Description
Gonesh say: "A mysterious blend of perfume oils and spices to create a soothing aromatic experience. A light floral fragrance wafting over deep woodsy notes spiced throughout with the scents of the orient."
Scent on the Stick (Cold Throw)
Gonesh say: "A mysterious blend of perfume oils and spices to create a soothing aromatic experience. A light floral fragrance wafting over deep woodsy notes spiced throughout with the scents of the orient."
Scent on the Stick (Cold Throw)
Perfumed-incense is always upfront with the scent as the fragrance was applied externally, even though - as with these charcoal sticks - the fragrance gets absorbed by the charcoal, there is generally plenty of scent on the outside to evaporate into the atmosphere around you. Really ripe sticks don't even need to be sniffed - the smell just comes out, blam!, and makes contact. There's an amber musky warmth on the stick - which is similar to an oriental scent (or "scents of the orient"). Not much in the way of spices, but there is a smoky hint of wood, along with an icy and potentially headache inducing volatility.
What is Volatility?
Volatility is fragrance notes that evaporate quickly. It is not necessarily a sign of synthetic perfume or chemicals, it is mainly the type and strength of the fragrance. Very light top notes, citrics and pines for example, are quick evaporators which can sparkle like grains of ice in your nose, and may overload your senses, giving you a headache. I am sensitive to this - particularly terpenes. While natural fragrances can have sharp volatility, it is generally synthetics, like aldehydes, which are the main culprits, though frankincense resin also has icy volatiles.
Scent on the Burn (Hot Throw)
The scent on the burn echoes the cold throw scent on the stick. I like when an incense does that. And it tends to happen more often with perfumed-incense than either perfumed-masala or masala-style incense. This is not a sign of quality - traditional, high quality masala incense has the fragrant ingredients folded into the paste, so they are not fully revealed until the stick is lit and burned; but it is useful as what I am expecting from the cold throw is delivered in the hot throw. It is not uncommon that stuff I like is not a qualifier for "high-end", but is simply useful, fun, attractive, or likeable. I don't think I am someone for whom the term "high-end" draws me like a acolyte moth to a golden diamond encrusted flame. Terms like "character", "interesting", "authentic", "original", "fun", "unique" are what attract my attention.
The scent on the burn echoes the cold throw scent on the stick. I like when an incense does that. And it tends to happen more often with perfumed-incense than either perfumed-masala or masala-style incense. This is not a sign of quality - traditional, high quality masala incense has the fragrant ingredients folded into the paste, so they are not fully revealed until the stick is lit and burned; but it is useful as what I am expecting from the cold throw is delivered in the hot throw. It is not uncommon that stuff I like is not a qualifier for "high-end", but is simply useful, fun, attractive, or likeable. I don't think I am someone for whom the term "high-end" draws me like a acolyte moth to a golden diamond encrusted flame. Terms like "character", "interesting", "authentic", "original", "fun", "unique" are what attract my attention.
Anyhow. Yes. Smoky amber and muted, obscure herbs are what I find in the burn. It is generally a soft, well-behaved burn - calmer, quieter, and warmer than the scent on the stick, albeit the scent profile is the same. It is a little drier and narrow than I prefer, but is moderately interesting and quite acceptable.
This was part of a Variety pack, commonly available in America, though also available on UK Amazon for just under £12 including delivery.
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