Damodardas Bhagwandas Sugandhi (DBS) Ishwari

 

Candy sweet on the stick - rose scented Turkish delight. The name, Ishwari, refers to the Hindu goddess Mahadevi, and suggests feminine energy, so the intended fragrance would be soft, feminine, alluring, with plenty of florals, yet grounded in a firm resinous base. Though initially attractive, the sweetness and strength of the cold throw scent can soon become a little satiating, so it's good to notice that there is a little grounding woody resin in place.  

The woody notes come through first on the burn - this is something I frequently note. I would expect the lighter, florals to come through first, but there is something in the chemistry of incense sticks which makes somewhat bitter and harsh woody notes come through initially until the smouldering combustion really takes hold. After around a minute or so, the florals start to emerge - the rose is the strongest scent, very much in the style of Turkish delight, perhaps due to the vanilla, which appears to be a particular feature of incense from Pune. Gradually the woods come through, quite green, earthy, fresh, outdoorsy. The balance of the Turkish delight with the fresh outdoorsy resinous base is really very enjoyable. The whole, though, is more subtle than I expected, and a little smoky. This is an incense that needs space, ventilation, and time to really display itself.  

Available from DBS, The Everest Trader,  and ScentingSecrets. 

Date: March 2026    Score: 38/50

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DBS of Pune