Manohar Sugandhi was founded in Pune in the 1930s, and is a third-generation family-run incense house. This is the third of five samples sent by Julian of The Incense Atelier. I loved Gurukrupa - I was less keen on Manohar Gold.
There is a rich oily scent on the stick, somewhat spicy and peppery, and tangy with tobacco, rotting wood and roses, oud, and aged leather. A little sprinkling of brown sugar. This feels slightly more Arabian than Indian, leaning into Bakhoor tradition. Though Manohar's intention from the incense name "Mahal", which means palace (as in Taj Mahal), and their website description that Amber Mahal "embodies the essence of timelessness, inviting you to embark on a sensory journey that connects you to the spiritual and cultural heritage of India's ancient lands. Deeply rooted in ancient traditions, this exotic fragrance has adorned temples, homes,& palaces throughout the subcontinent for centuries", suggests that Manohar wish to evoke a sense of a traditional Indian incense - something ancient, revered, and luxurious - an incense that drifted through the great palaces of India's past. And I get that as well. Though the rose and rich woods put me in mind of Persian perfumes. And I guess that just points up the rich cultural history of India.
There is a rich oily scent on the stick, somewhat spicy and peppery, and tangy with tobacco, rotting wood and roses, oud, and aged leather. A little sprinkling of brown sugar. This feels slightly more Arabian than Indian, leaning into Bakhoor tradition. Though Manohar's intention from the incense name "Mahal", which means palace (as in Taj Mahal), and their website description that Amber Mahal "embodies the essence of timelessness, inviting you to embark on a sensory journey that connects you to the spiritual and cultural heritage of India's ancient lands. Deeply rooted in ancient traditions, this exotic fragrance has adorned temples, homes,& palaces throughout the subcontinent for centuries", suggests that Manohar wish to evoke a sense of a traditional Indian incense - something ancient, revered, and luxurious - an incense that drifted through the great palaces of India's past. And I get that as well. Though the rose and rich woods put me in mind of Persian perfumes. And I guess that just points up the rich cultural history of India.
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| Manohar Amber Mahal in luxury box |
The burn is sublime. I love it. This is my sort of incense. Bang on. Soft rich tangy woods support a wonderful interplay of heady rose and more subtle waxy florals. This is a rich palace style attar which gives a Mughal feel of luxury and opulence. It is silky and heady in a fresh gentle manner. There are sumptuous and somewhat resinous earthy tones, very grounding, very comforting, then a range of subtle spices and flecks of peppercorn which stimulate and excite, and then there's the glory of the heady rose, the waxy jasmine, and some faint, almost sparkling citrus, to bring the whole thing to life in a peacock display of olfactory beauty. This is a humdinger of an incense. I love it to bits!!!!!!!!!
Manohar incense is available in India from Manohar Sugandhi at 280 Rupees for 50gm. Outside India from The Incense Atelier at prices from £1.75 to £2.75 for 10g plus shipping. There's also a very useful sample pack of 10 different fragrances (2 sticks each) for £3.95 plus postage.
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