Shoyeido Magnifiscents Rose Crystal

Rose Crystal is part of Shoyeido's Jewel or Gem series - originally four scents, but now increased to eight.  They are widely available across the globe. Via the Shoyeido site in the US, LotusZen in the UK, and PadmaStore in the EU, for example. 

The incense represents "Love". The ingredients description from the American Shoyeido website is a little unclear - in one place it says "Silky sandalwood, creamy resins, herbs, and spikenard", and in another it says "Benzoin, sandalwood".  A light coloured sandy brown stick which has some creamy pale sandalwood scent with possibly some mineral vanilla qualities than could come from the benzoin. I'm not getting any spikenard from the stick. The scent on the burn is similar to that on the stick - mostly wood and vanilla, though some pungent notes of burning herbs also comes through. I'm not getting any awareness of the spikenard at all.  This is a fairy simple scent, as most of the "New Gems" appear to be. The new Gem range is dryer, more inclined toward bitter or pungent burning herbs, less attractive, less sweet, less compelling, and less interesting than the original Gems. This one reminds me of Tibet incense, which is not to my taste. But it is acceptable.  

Date: Jan 2023  Score: 22/50

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Japanese incense

Shoyeido