Kangiiten - Black oil Kyara. It's taken a little bit to get this to sing. This kyara has been a good reminder that expectations play a significant role when heating woods. First time with any kyara at all and I can happily say it is wonderful and unique. It took at least five seperate heating sessions to figure out which temp works best for it and to help release it's goodness. This all flies in the face of what I've read (or at least understood) for how kyara should behave when heating. Low temps did not work. I started getting a whisper at around 100 degrees but then it disappeared again. I eventually got all the way to 150 degrees and it was finally putting out a scent. I was still a bit disappointed however so I have left it alone for a couple of days. Now, coming back to it this morning, I dialed it straight to 150 but had to stop it at around 100 as I now felt like 150 was too high! Now, I am smelling this at full strength. Beautiful, warm mentholic honey notes. Quite distinctive from anything else I have tried. Which of the five tastes is this kyara? I have no idea? Can I compare it to CK? Absolutely not. Completely different. If I was to compare it against anything it would be against a sprinkle of sinking dust that was shared with me while in Hanoi last year. This was shaved off a log which more resembled a piece of beef jerky than wood. It lasted me an entire week. This is magic. More please!
