Incense of the Day

[Oudamberlove]

Baieido Kyara Kokoh

More woody and kinamic
than fruityfloral sweets.

 

[Oudamberlove]

Gyokushodo Kyara Enju

Haven’t lit this in while,
I’m enjoying it, although,
for the first time….
I get a sandalwood vibe with the kyara.

 

[Oudamberlove]

Shunkohdo Ranjatai

Satisfying agarwoodiness.

 

[Castingshadows]

IO’s Sinking Walla Patta

followed by Ken’s For the Buddha

It’s a blissed out T(Oud)uesday

 

[Oudamberlove]

Enjoying Sri Lanka sticks

IO Walla Patta and Dr. Incense Sri Lanka.

IO’s has a pretty perfume egde over the Dr.’s stick, but the Dr.’s is more robust, I’m guessing less binder.

 

[zeedubbya]

The presentation on these coils from Doc I are next level. Now I’m trying to figure out when to find 2 hours to burn one! From burning a small piece though, it’ll be an epic 2 hours. This smells way better than the previous sinking Brunei—and it was a really excellent incense..

 

[KhalidW]

Burning Tibetan Medical College Holy Land Grade 2 today, after trying Grade 1 yesterday - I can't tell too much of a difference between them yet, but people say there is one so I'll have to get to know them better. After reading a lot about Holy Land and how powerful and strange it is, I had built up quite an image of it in my mind. Of course it didn't smell anything like what I was imagining! In fact it is rather similar to the colourful Serghina incense traditionally burned in the city of Fes, Morocco, a spicy sweet mix of frankincense, benzoin, and goodness knows what else. There is also a warm and rough animalic side to it, which I presume is the pangolin scales and deer musk. This plus the woody campfire background paints quite a picture - if you close your eyes you could be on a mountaintop somewhere with a bonfire burning and some exotic beast turning on the spit.

Incense-Traditions included samples of sticks from the Gang-zi Mani, Dzongsar, and Wara monasteries. The first two have a similar note in them that doesn't quite agree with me, at least not yet, a sort of overpowering sickly sweetness. The Wara is outstanding, a sort of halfway house between the smoky rustic Tibetan vibe and the more quiet Japanese warm woodiness. The OFS blog suggests that this is because of a higher agarwood content. Or course these are all very affordable sticks so it can't be that much, but maybe a little goes a long way.

One day I might graduate to the high end incenses that are mostly discussed here, but for the time being I'm very happy with these lower grades, and with some of the Shoyeido lower end offerings such as Hakuun which I can't get enough of. Lots to look forward to, at any rate!

 

[Himanshu Sharma]

Ken's Deadwood 'Monkoh'

I find this one buttery, sweet with some clean wood smoke. Slight hint of Baking sugar cookies. On deep sniff I get some cooling Melon-Cucumberish notes. Very sublime. Low smoke.

The tube says, the wood is from PNG. I feel like this profile falls somewhere between Malinau and Papua-New Guinea for some reason. I have had limited experience with anything Malinau though. The only Malinau stick I currently have is from Melvin.

 

[Oudamberlove]

Baieido Koh en

Seems to have a bit of a tobacco note
mingling with the medicine and spice.

 

[Castingshadows]

Baieido Koh en

Seems to have a bit of a tobacco note
mingling with the medicine and spice.

I’ve been on the hunt for a tobacco note in incense. This sounds right up my alley.

 

[Oudamberlove]

I’ve been on the hunt for a tobacco note in incense. This sounds right up my alley.

It’s not up-front tobacco, just a hint.

 

[zahir]

Ken's Deadwood 'Monkoh'

I find this one buttery, sweet with some clean wood smoke. Slight hint of Baking sugar cookies. On deep sniff I get some cooling Melon-Cucumberish notes. Very sublime. Low smoke.

The tube says, the wood is from PNG. I feel like this profile falls somewhere between Malinau and Papua-New Guinea for some reason. I have had limited experience with anything Malinau though. The only Malinau stick I currently have is from Melvin.

His Malinau sticks are the best that I've tried. So I'd suggest you use that as reference.

 

[Oudamberlove]

I’ve been on the hunt for a tobacco note in incense. This sounds right up my alley.

Searched for the tobacco note in Koh en once more, it’s tiny, but more of a dried tobacco leaf, their Kun sho has it too, and it’s a little juicier there. I’ll send you a sample to try.

Today, Shunkohdo Ranjatai again

I can’t help but think of that Ranjatai log sitting in a museum in Japan somewhere, this stick does make me think of agarwood, and I get really satisfied with it’s aroma.

 

[Oudamberlove]

Nippon Kodo Kyara Asuka

This is harmony to my nose.

 

[Lorenz_156]

Timor Agarwood sticks from Ken

 

[Oudamberlove]

Ken’s PNG
I love the florals.

and Gyokushodo Kumo No Sho
a smooth delivery of the agarwood.

 

[Castingshadows]

Tigerwood followed by Synonyms of Nirvana and a chunk of Hojari on the burner.

SoN is what I consider to be the perfect incense composition for daily burning.

 

[zahir]

Tigerwood followed by Synonyms of Nirvana and a chunk of Hojari on the burner.

SoN is what I consider to be the perfect incense composition for daily burning.

I'm starting to appreciate incenses made of things other than agarwood... especially spices.

 

[Oudamberlove]

I'm starting to appreciate incenses made of things other than agarwood... especially spices.

If all I had were straight agarwood sticks, I would feel lacking, I often crave the spice and resin blends, they’re just as important to me as agarwood. Nature’s bounty can be wonderful.

Today, Seikado Solitude Sandalwood.
A perfumed sandalwood stick, quite pleasant.
….then some Shoyeido Shokaku
The kyara note shines through.

 

[Castingshadows]

I'm starting to appreciate incenses made of things other than agarwood... especially spices.

Like Oudamberlove just said, I too would feel lacking without blends. Lately I’ve realized that these small batch independent incense makers are creating sticks with just as high of quality as Shoyeido, Yamadamatsu, Baeido, or Nippon Kodo etc but at better price points and better materials. I think having a well rounded collection helps to fine tune our noses and understand the importance of aromatics in our lives. I know for myself there’s no better combination than that of Frank/Oud/Mysore.