Incense In The Wind

Burner Burner - Carhartt jacket incense burner

Tuesday, 14 May 2013

Goloka Krishna Priya Chandan

  
Second review - scroll down for earlier


Burning these again nearly three years later, and crude though the sticks are - poorly rolled, with some of the incense flaking off, quite thin and rather ugly looking, the aroma is quite pleasant. There is some benzoin on the stick, and when burned, the aroma is gorgeous blend of sandalwood and violets. There is much going on, and the aroma is very inviting, and quite exciting with its deep musky tones balancing against the nippy citric edge of the violet and benzoin. It's an aroma you want to keep on going because there is much to enjoy here, and it is never heavy, over bearing or harsh.

Date:  Jan, 2016   Score: 36   


First review
 

Attractive oblong box of hand rolled sticks by Goloka - the Bangalore based, non-profit charity which provides food and education for disadvantaged children, and training and assistance for women who have lost their husbands.. Bought online from Tribes & Vines for £1.45, post free [2024 comment: no longer available from Tribes & Vines - but Ephra World has it for 1.75 Euros].

The name Krishna Priya means "beloved of Krishna", and is usually applied to a woman or girl that Krishna was interested in. The box has an image of a young person, possibly a girl, playing a flute, and I assume this is a girl that Krishna fancies, rather than it being a drawing of young Krishna himself. The words "from here to eternity" are written across the bottom. The sticks are hand rolled - quite thin and rough, and then dipped in a yellow dusting of perfume. The bamboo stick is pale yellow - possibly dyed. The aroma is sweet and quite pleasant - some parma violets, nag champa, mint, and sandalwood. However, these do appear to be roughly made on a budget - the length and width of the bamboo sticks vary, sometimes so thin they are unable to remain upright unsupported; the incense paste is sometimes applied so thinly that the sticks burn so quickly, they are gone before the scent has really made an impression.

I like the scent, though at times there is so little smoke and aroma, that the scent can hardly be noticed. Added to which, while it is sandalwood based, it leans rather more toward sweet nag champa with bergamont and violets than a decent solid sandalwood scent. I do think that if a company is calling a scent "sandalwood", that that scent should be dominant. If this was called simply "Krishna Priya", then the amount of sandalwood wouldn't be an issue.

Date: May, 2013  Score: 30   

***

Goloka

Sandalwood



Monday, 13 May 2013

Mysore Sugandhi 777 Chandan



Tube of  approximately twenty 777 Chandan incense sticks by  Mysore Sugandhi Dhoop Factory of Bangalore, bought from Asian Cookshop for 45p. Neatly machine dipped - smooth, round and tidy chocolate brown on a pinky-red bamboo stick. Sweet aroma from the box, slight soapy perfume and a bit of pine loo block. Scent on burning is like stale old ladies rose perfume. It's a modest, cheap, aroma. Not offensive, but not appealing either - though tends closer to the offensive than the appealing. There's little sense of the sandalwood.

The tube design is attractive, and - apart from a change of name from 666 to 777 - the tube design has apparently not changed in 35 years. I doubt if the incense is made the same way - I should assume that back in 1978 the sticks were hand rolled, and were made from natural ingredients, rather than the synthetic perfumes that appear to be used now.

Other than the dyed bamboo stick, this is the same as  Aargee Sandalwood (tube series).

Date: May 2013 Score: 22
***

Mysore Sugandhi

Sandalwood

Friday, 10 May 2013

Pan Aroma Incense Sticks




Pan Aroma Incense Sticks, bought from Amazon, are a gift pack of five assorted scents for £1.58, including postage. Each scent comes in its own hex box containing sixteen sticks - so that's a total of 80 sticks. Pan Aroma is a brand owned by Manchester based company, 151Products Ltd. The sticks are very neat, clean and tidy. Machine dipped so the incense paste appears like an extruded incense stick - though with a bamboo inside. The sticks on all the aromas are undyed, and the paste appearance on all is a dull, dry, pale chocolate brow. They all look the same.


Soothing Aromas

These are mild, and mildly pleasant incense sticks. There's some fruit sweets top notes on a gentle if slightly harsh woody base - middle notes are softly floral with just a hint of burning herbs. The mix of warm woody notes with the gently sweet perfume produces an attractive aroma that is bright and inviting. This is a very acceptable budget incense.

Appearance 5/10
Scent 5/10
After 5/10
Plus 10/20
Total 25/50

Lemongrass

The aroma is a little harsh, reminding me of some Ancient Wisdom incense sticks. Not a refined scent, but neither is it offensive. There's an aroma of burning matter - wood and green leaves. It's quite possible there is some dried lemongrass in the incense paste, though you couldn't pick out the scent of lemongrass from the aroma. Ancient Wisdom do source from Thailand where I've noticed that dried organic matter is used in greater proportion than in Indian incense - though Pal-Ji Honey Suckle is made in India, and that has the same burning green matter aroma.

Appearance 5/10
Scent 4/10
After 4/10
Plus 8/20
Total 21/50


Patchouli

Patchouli is a herb in the mint family, and the leaves are a useful insect repellent. Silk traders would protect their cargo by wrapping the silk in patchouli leaves, so the scent developed a positive association in the West. The oils that are produced from the plants have a sweet, heady scent with good base earthy notes, like the floor of a wood on a damp Autumn evening; patchouli oil is slightly musty and musky and fairly sensual and oily. The plant itself, and the dried leaves of the plant, may incline more toward the aroma of mint. Out of the packet these patchouli incense sticks have a medicinal, menthol aroma with a hint of camphor and the overall suggestion of patchouli. It's a decent enough scent, and quite promising. When lit, though, the aroma is of faint burning green leaves - slightly sharp, with an attractive underlying tone of warm sandalwood, and mid notes of that camphor and menthol. It's not a bad scent at all, but it's a bit disappointing. Forget that it's called patchouli, and it's quite an acceptable background scent, and not bad for the price.

Appearance 5/10
Scent 4/10
After 4/10
Plus 10/20
Total 23/50


White Jasmine

The sticks do have a jasmine tone to the scent - mildly fruity, faintly medicinal with a hint of camphor, and the sweet flowery perfume of jasmine.  Jasmine is a popular scent for use in incense - in India it is known as Mogra. When burnt the aroma is mild and modestly pleasant, and does have the sense of jasmine, though the aroma is a little harsh with sharp points leaning toward burning herbs. Overall, it's a mild, warm, pleasant and softly woody tone, with some sweet flowery and balsamic notes. Yes, it is sharp in places, a little vulgar, and rather modest in smoke and aroma intensity - but it's not offensive, and works OK as a background room freshener.

Appearance 5/10
Scent 4/10
After 4/10
Plus 9/20
Total 22/50


Spring Poppies

As with some of the others, there is a camphor wood base to the incense paste. The combination of perfumes and camphor wood in this paste create a scent reminiscent of cheap polish sprays. It does feel like synthetic perfumes have been used. The scent is not unpleasant - it's just not elegant or profound or what one associates with Indian incense (or Thailand incense, as this may well be). The burning incense is mild, inoffensive, and has an elusive curry aroma - turmeric perhaps. The idea of an aroma based on "spring poppies" is quite pleasant - though I don't recall poppies having a scent.

Appearance 5/10
Scent 4/10
After 4/10
Plus 8/20
Total 21/50


Overall

The scents are mild and inoffensive, and occasionally pleasant. The most attractive is Soothing Aromas - and the least pleasant is probably the Lemongrass. They serve well as a background aroma to help freshen up a stale smell, but would not be used as a main incense,  to cover up a strong odour, or to create a positive mood or atmosphere in a room. What is impressive is the price. These are a bargain buy.

Date: May 2013    Overall score: 23
***


Lemongrass & Citronella scents



Saturday, 4 May 2013

GR International (Sandesh) Sandal / Sandalo

Sixth review - scroll down for earlier

I have loved these incense cones by GR International since first burning them over ten years ago. I keep buying new packs and still enjoy them. I have experienced many different incense over the years - goo, bad, and awesome, yet still enjoy these cones. I have known that these are perfumed cones for a while - though I kinda thought that the perfume was an essential oil. I have learned more about incense and incense production, and I can today recognise that this is a synthetic sandalwood scent, yet I still love this incense. Knowing it is synthetic diminishes my enthusiasm. I would so much prefer that this was natural. But the scent remains as pleasurable as ever.  There are several well known and very effective synthetic sandalwood oils, such as SandaloreSandaxol / Sandal Mysore Core, and Bacdanol. Perfume makers discuss which one is best to use on Reddit forums; though it is generally considered best to use a variety of different synthetics along with natural sandalwood oil because people react differently to aroma compounds, and also because combining them gives a more rounded and complex aroma. Of all the synthetic-perfume incenses  I tend to get along more with the sandalwoods than I do most others. And whichever synthetic (or blend of synthetics) is used in these cones, it works for me. 

Having said all that, and while I still do enjoy these cones and will buy more, this scent doesn't lift and delight me as much as it used to. I don't want to join the camp of the prejudiced who consider synthetic scents to be unworthy of consideration, but I do feel that sufficient joy has been removed from my enjoyment with the acceptance that this is synthetic, that I will be grading this downward a little. Added to which is that the scent is a little monolithic and expected, and doesn't for me have some of the delights of other bolder and more interesting fragrances - both single scent and subtle blends. So, yes, still enjoyable, but not heavenly nor fascinating enough to remain in my special listings. But, phew, it's close! 


Date: Jan 2024   Score:  38


Fifth review

Sometimes an incense company just gets a scent so right. I love this. I have wavered now and then on exactly how much I love it, but it is a scent that never fails to please. Name has changed from GR International Sandalo to GR Sandal, but it's the same gorgeous stuff.


Date: June 2019    Score: 40


Fourth review

Burning this alongside several other sandal incense cones, and this still stands out for me as a particularly fine and sexy scent.  Moving score up.


Date: April 2018   Score: 38


Third review

I'm returning again to Sandalo as last night I reviewed the strongly sandalwood based Tulasi Vidwan; so have been looking into other sandalwood incenses, such as one of my favourites Nandita Wood Spice, and Krishna Priya Chandan by Goloka, and found I still loved them, indeed moved up their scores. I also still like this Sandalo, but I'm moving the score down, and moving this out of my Top Ten. It is a delightful and evocative aroma, but when compared to some other sandalwoods, it is perhaps not doing enough. After just burning the others, this comes over as a little dry, a little flat, and a little bit too simple. I still like it, but I have been discovering that there are better incenses on offer. Such is the journey we make through life. We reach out, we discover more.


Date: Jan 2016    Score: 33


Second review

Burning these again after nearly two years, and the scent is so dreamy. I love this incense, and have just ordered some more from The Aroma Store. Other GR products I've tried have mostly been fairly decent, but nothing works for me quite as this one does. This smells just of sandalwood. This is the essence of what sandalwood is all about.


Date: Feb 2015   Score: 42


First review


This is how I remember sandalwood incense smelling. This is a very evocative aroma taking me way back to open air festivals, evenings round wood fires, and smoking dope and making love under moonlight. This is a warm, seductive, woody aroma - just what sandalwood should smell like - not adulterated by other aromas, not sweetened, just left earthy and natural and aromatic. Pack of ten Sandalo incense cones from GR International of Bangalore, bought from a hippy shop in Faversham for £1.25 - they are available for 99p from The-Aroma-Store - eBay. The cones are dark brown, almost black, with a sticky sheen, like cannabis resin. They are fairly tall, and produce plenty of good smelling, swirling, blue-grey smoke.


Date: May 2013   Score 42


Best sandalwood incense

    


Sandalwood, one of the main and well known fragrant woods used in incense, is both fragrant and aids the burning. Most Indian incense houses will have a sandalwood in their range. Chandan is Sanskrit for sandalwood, and is a common name for Indian sandalwood incense. Sandalwood is a significant part of Chinese and Japanese incense where it is often the main combustible, rather than charcoal as in Indian incense. 

Sandalwood has been so widely used for perfumes and incense, that the true sandalwood tree is now a protected species, and most sandalwood comes from other trees and plants, or even from synthetic sources, such as the chemical IBCH. Over-harvesting of wild sandalwood has led to a number of controls by governments, and to the creation of sandalwood plantations. Sandalwood oil from Mysore is protected by the local government. Only the local government is allowed to purchase the local sandalwood. Until the First World War extracting oil from sandalwood In India was crude, so major users of sandalwood oil, first the Chinese, then the Germans, purchased the wood, and distilled it themselves. When the First World War started, the Germans stopped buying the wood, and other exports also suffered.  So the local government sought assistance from two British scientists, who started up the first sandalwood oil production in India. Mysore sandalwood has attracted a positive reputation since then. Most sandalwood comes from Australia. With larger production, and the ability to use more of the tree than Indian sandalwood, Australian sandalwood is more economical. While Australian sandalwood has the largest production, it is considered of lower quality as it doesn't have a number of key ingredients for perfume, cosmetics, and medicines, so is mainly used in incense production. 

There are several well known and very effective synthetic sandalwood oils, such as Sandalore, Sandaxol / Sandal Mysore Core, and Bacdanol. Perfume makers discuss which one is best to use on Reddit forums; though it is generally considered best to use a variety of different synthetics along with natural sandalwood oil because people react differently to aroma compounds, and also because combining them gives a more rounded and complex aroma. Of the synthetic-perfume incenses I think I tend to get along more with the sandalwoods than I do most others.  

The dark coloured heartwood is where the fragrant oil is contained. The heartwood may be in the middle, or it may be in rings interspersed with pale sandalwood with less fragrance. After harvesting, the dark heartwood is separated from the pale wood, and the oils are extracted. The wood that is left after the oils are extracted remains dark, and contains enough fragrance to be used for incense. The white wood tends to be used as a combustible instead of charcoal in Asian countries. 

The scent is warm and woody, often sweet and kinda sexy with elements of musk and amber, and may be earthy and leathery.  There's also often a sort of creamy, milky association with the scent. It's generally a soft scent, not harsh or intrusive, and at its best will be genuinely beguiling. 

From Wikipedia:
Sandalwood is the name of a class of fragrant woods from trees in the genus Santalum. The woods are heavy, yellow, and fine-grained, and unlike many other aromatic woods they retain their fragrance for decades. As well as using the harvested and cut wood, essential oils are also extracted from the woods for use. Both the wood and the oil produce a distinctive fragrance that has been highly valued for centuries. Consequently, the slow-growing trees have been over-harvested in many areas.

From Botanical.com:
The trees are felled or dug up by roots; the branches are worthless, so are cut off. It is usual to leave the trunk on the ground for several months for the white ants to eat away the sap wood, which is also of no value; it is then trimmed and sawn into billets 2 to 2 1/2 feet long and taken to mills in the forests, where it is again trimmed and sorted into grades. It is heavy, hard, but splits easily; colour light yellow, transverse sections yellow to light reddish brown, with alternating light and dark concentric zones nearly equal in diameter, numerous pores, and traversed by many very narrow medullary rays. Odour characteristic, aromatic, persistent; taste peculiar, strongly aromatic. Indian Sandalwood is a Government monopoly.

Excellent resource:
Fragrantica.com

Reviews

* = Review over 5 years old so may not be reliable

     
(Wonder Incense) New Moon Aromas
Mysore Sandalwood

Dec 2024 - Score: ?


Balaji Signature (PM)
Nov 2024 - Score: 47


Goloka Chandan (M)
Jan 2025 - Score: 47


Hari Darshan Sandalwood (M)
Mar 2025 - Score: 46↑ 


Fumino Simply Sandalwood Cones (PM)
Nov 2024 - Score: 45


Nandita Wood Spice (M)
 
Jan 2025 - Score: 40↑=↓↓↑↓
[Average of seven reviews: 45]


Goloka Chandan Dhoop Cones 
April 2018 - Score: 45*


Aromatika Sacre Coeur Sandalwood  (M)
April 2019 - Score: 42* 

  
Sai Handicrafts UK Gold Sandal (sticks) (M)
Nov 2023 - Score: 42↑


Vijayshree Golden Nag Chandan Sandalwood (M)
Nov 2022 - Score: 41
    

Vakratund Super Sandal Masala Dhoop (D)
Nov 2024 - Score: 41


Balaji Pure Sandal Premium Dhoop Sticks (D)
Sept 2023 - Score: 40


Pushkar incense Pushkar Sandal (M)
Jan 2025 - Score: 39


Nandita Saffron Sandal (PM)
Jan 2025 - Score: 39


Bhaktivedanta Manor
The Dhupa Collection Sandalwood (PM)
Aug 2025 - Score: 39↑


Satya (Mumbai) Super Sandal cones
 April 2018 - Score: 38↓*

  
Ramakrishna's Natural Sandalwood (M)
Feb 2024 - Score: 38 


GR International (Sandesh) Sandalo/Sandal (P)
Jan 2024 - Score: 38↓↓↑↑↓


Om Brand Vedamrut Saffron Sandal (M)
Feb 2024 - Score: 37 


Goloka Krishna Priya Chandan
Jan 2016 - Score 36* 


BIC Sandal Wood Incense Sticks (P)
Oct 2023 - Score: 36 


Heera Pure Chandan (M)
April 2023 - Score: 34


Sai Gold Sandal (sticks) 
Jan 2016 - Score: 34*


Sai Gold Sandal (dhoops) 
Jan 2016 - Score: 34*

   
HEM Sandal cones (P)
June 2025 - Score: 34


Calmveda Indian Sandalwood (P)
Dec 2024 - Score: 34


Tulasi Sandalwood Masala Incense (PM)
March 2024 - Score: 33↑ 



HEM Sandal (P)
Mar 2025 - Score: 33


HEM Precious Chandan Cones
Jan 2019 - Score:
33*


March 2021 - Score: 33


Balaji Chandan
Oct 2023 - Score: 31


Radha Madhav Sandal Supreme (M)
Feb 2024 - Score: 31


Siro Yellow Sandalwood (P)
Feb 2024 - Score: 31


Goloka Sandalwood (Organica / Natural Series) (PM)
Jun 2025 - Score: 30  

   
One Aromatics Sandalwood (PM)
Aug 2025 - Score: 30=


Dec 2024 -  Score: 26 [Average: 30]


Zam Zam Sandalwood (P)
Nov 2024 - Score: 30
 

Damodaras Bhagwandas Sugandhi
Special Chandan
 (M)
Feb 2024 - Score: 30


Krishnan Chandan (P)
April 2013 - Score: 30*


Pan Aroma Sandalwood (P)
Dec 2014 - Score: 30*


Bloome Incense 
Indian Sandalwood (P)
Feb 2017 - Score: 30*


MDPH Zed Black Sandal Agarbatti (PM)
Mar 2025 - Score: 27↓


Help Us Green Sandalwood (PM)
Aug 2025 - Score: 29


Sifcon 20 Sandalwood
April 2019 - Score: 29*


Feb 2013 - Score: 29*  



Fragrances & Sens Ethnic Vibes
Palo Santo Sandalwood
 (PM)
Dec 2024 - Score: 28

  
Om Brand Trishala Chandan (P)
Feb 2024 - Score: 28 


Temu (Fujian Incense)
Lao Shan Tan Xiang (Old Mountain Sandalwood)

Mar 2025 - Score: 27


SAC Chandan Incense Sticks 
Jan 2024 - Score: 27


Aravinda's Sandal (P)
March 2023 - Score: 26

 
Satya (Mumbai) Natural Sandal 
Sept 2020 - Score: 25*



Stamford Sandalwood 
May 2013 - Score: 25*


 GR International
Chandan Incense Cones

April 2018 - Score: 25*


SAC (Sandesh) Sandalwood
April 2017 - Score: 25*


Blue Pearl Sandalwood
May 2025 - Score: 25↓↑ 


Cycle Brand Heritage Chandanam 
Jan 2023  -  Score: 24


Darshan Sandal cones 
Sept 2013 -  Score: 24*


May 2013 - Score: 24*


Aromandise - Les Encens du Monde
Haute Tradition Supreme Sandalwood
 (M)
Mar 2025 - Score: 24


Cottage Industries No. 14 Sandalwood 
Feb 2025 - Score: 23=


Temu (Shenzhon Xuxinda)
Small Auspicious Cloud Sandalwood

Mar 2025 - Score: 23 


Shoyeido Daigen-Koh
 (Great Origin)

Jan 2022 - Score: 22


May 2013 - Score 22*


Darshan Love in Life Sandalwood 
May 2015 - Score: 20*


Sifcon Golden Buddha Sandalwood 
Dec 2019 - Score: 20* 


Jan 2023 - Score: 20


Ranga Rao Cycle Brand Lia Chandanam (P)
Feb 2024 - Score: 20 

  
Indian's Sandal (P)
Feb 2024 - Score:20↓


Unbranded Sandalwood Cones 
Jan 2023 - Score: 19 


Satya (BNG) Sandalwood Cones (P)
Feb 2025 - Score: 18


Hari Om Divine Incense Chandan (P)
Jan 2018 - Score: 17*

   
Noppamas Sandalwood Incense Sticks (P)
Jan 2025 - Score: 12↓


Vaishnodevi Chandan Dhoop 
Feb 2013 - Score: 10*


Nikhil's Nature's Blessings Sandal (P)
Feb 2024 - Score: 09


Reviews: 63
Top score: 46
Low score: 09
Average: 29
Average top five: 44
Overall score: 36 

Conclusion: I like the oily sandalwood. Not so keen on the white sandalwood, nor the dark wood that has had the oil extracted. I'm OK with sandalwood substitutes, which I suspect are quite widely used, especially in India. I'd prefer a man made sandalwood oil to a spent wood or white wood sandalwood. 

Brands no longer available


Aargee Imperial Kashmir
Dec 2023 - Score: 48↓↑


Aargee Sandalwood (tube series) 
Dec 2015   Score 22


Stamford Natura Sandalwood
July 2018 - Score: 20


***


Different Scents