Incense of the Day

I just burned Tenpyo, Peaceful Sky by Shoyeido in their Horin range (a premium range from Shoyeido) and it was amazing, even after weeks to months of using that particular stick, I finally got more notes down on it. It starts off with an uninteresting resin note, as it burns (literally seconds) it turns into this beautiful dark, oozing, comforting resin as if it is coming from a wood chip, the resin note is the back bone to all the other notes. Firstly, I got that oozing woody resin note, then the resin note of chocolate, berries and floral resin oozing chips, half way down the stick another note stepped in, a more smokey, woody scent that had minor elements of resin, but it was mainly just smokey wood, that lasted, again, just under 15-25seconds, which was interesting because it wasn't "bad" or "offensive" whatsoever, it was as if it was taking a break for the sticks beautiful resin + notes thing that was going on. This stick is amazing. It is definitely not a range of sticks you sit at the edge of a table while doing something, these sticks are for listening, INTENTLY to.
 
It is goooooood stuff! Before the ck boom this was how i got my japanese style aloeswood fix. I love the herb and spice mixture that backs these types of shoyeido blends…. Yummmm.
 
Olfactory Nomad said:
Yep. If I only ever burnt these two ever again I'd be happy.
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Lol. Eventually you'd get sick of them, but I see what you mean, Horin line aloeswood uses similar quality if not the same quality as Shoyeido's Premium line, but the Horin are more for people who want to listen and go on a scented journey with a stick. Premium range is very loud (for Japanese) sticks with high, high quality aloeswood as well, but with some spices (not very much though, I dont think).
 
Maunamoku said:
Shoyeido, "Nankun". Laid back. Added aromatics benefit, rather than overpower, the agarwood.

Good prices from Sazen Tea. I highly recommend them for incense and matcha.
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Added to my taskbar folder for incense related stuff, Zen Minded which delivers to UK or maybe a UK company does a lot of Shoyeido premium sticks at bigger sizes than lotuszen, and I can never seem to buy from LotusZen quick enough before they all go out of stock of their premium.
 
Aden - Al Shareef Oudh.
An outstanding Bakhoor, the best one I’ve ever smelt. Inspired by an ancient Yemeni formulation. Like most Bakhoor it’s a quick burn but complex & develops in layers.
As the first wisps of smoke come off the burner you’re greeted by a delicate powdery Rose. Shortly after the profile begins to open up with the candied sweetness of the honey, bright Frankincense, warm spices. The third stage is where the aroma becomes darker & more rounded, leather & a resinous incensey Oud playing supporting roles to the dominant Musk base.
Aden simply smells beautiful, even from the jar it’s almost too beautiful to burn. Such a comforting aroma, I consider this a functional product as it leaves the house smelling wonderful.
 
Baieido's Tokusen (Kobunboku Range). This is my second box ever of these 80 sticks per box, and I am starting to notice more and more notes the more I am using this second box, I didn't buy the first one since last year, so it isn't too close together. I get that camphoric (mothball like), aloeswood smell, not so much the minty part, but some form of the camphor scent, maybe a tad mint in the very distant background, feels more fresh and cooling than mint. I never got that note with the very first box of these I had months ago. It also has a nice sandalwood presence but isn't overpowering it lets you know its there without breaking the main note of the Indonesian Aloeswood that is a plenty in the stick, decent good quality aloeswood from Baieido. The herbs and spices help the main fragrant woods just function better together.
The aloeswood notes are definitely the most prominent note in this stick, with the dry sandalwood being in there to give it a boost in woodiness, which it does, it is a very woody stick, and sweet, like plum blossoms with that somewhat perfumey scent that is juuuuuust right 😀 .

Lovely stick. One of my favourites.
 
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this was one of my favorite affordable incenses from them. I think they really struck a balance in these. Some of the others in this tier (tokusen syokukoku is one) had a little bit too much benzoin for my liking and become kind of cloyingly sweet in a non-aloeswood way (to my nose), but this one is perfect for me. Thank you for bringing it to mind. I need to buy a box. That and some kai-un-koh!
 
Mr.P said:
this was one of my favorite affordable incenses from them. I think they really struck a balance in these. Some of the others in this tier (tokusen syokukoku is one) had a little bit too much benzoin for my liking and become kind of cloyingly sweet in a non-aloeswood way (to my nose), but this one is perfect for me. Thank you for bringing it to mind. I need to buy a box. That and some kai-un-koh!
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I need to try Kai-Un-Koh, how is it?
 
Dry, austere, mineral, dignified, bitter, clear kaiko aroma… like an old temple aroma as I understand it.
 
It’s definitely not light hearted and sweet like many shoyeido. This one is cut as square sticks that are a little thicker and I remember the US distributor saying this was a reference back to the deep roots of the company which started as a medicinal herb / incense company in the 1400’s i think or maybe earlier. The thick square cut sticks are reminiscent of the ones they used to make early on and the recipe is an old buddhist medicinal incense mixture. I love it but it’s not some light sweet floral/balsamic aloeswood fragrance. It’s pretty heavy, bitter, medicinal. Aloeswood is blended as an ingredient but not as a dominant note. It has a fair amount of Kaiko and borneol, tabu. I haven’t burned it in a while, but I think it might’ve had some costus.
 
A much better description than I could have given for Kai Un Koh. I'm sorta on the fence on whether I truly enjoy it or not, while it burns I find it smokier than Tokusen Kobunboku. The scent itself is much heavier than that one or even Kaden Kobunboku, if Tokusen is airy and cool, Kai Un Koh is warming and makes you feel weighed down. I find the use of Borneol dialed way back compared to what's in Tokusen. The aroma of the afterburn isn't something I enjoy all that much, while lit I can perceive the fenugreek, but as the scent lingers it gets stronger and stronger, turning into an almost curry like note in the air. I second the presence of costus in this formula, it's utilized well but even still, it packs a punch!

If Tibetan and Bhutanese incense make something like this seem light, then I'm not sure I'll ever be able to try them out!
 
Mr.P said:
It’s definitely not light hearted and sweet like many shoyeido. This one is cut as square sticks that are a little thicker and I remember the US distributor saying this was a reference back to the deep roots of the company which started as a medicinal herb / incense company in the 1400’s i think or maybe earlier. The thick square cut sticks are reminiscent of the ones they used to make early on and the recipe is an old buddhist medicinal incense mixture. I love it but it’s not some light sweet floral/balsamic aloeswood fragrance. It’s pretty heavy, bitter, medicinal. Aloeswood is blended as an ingredient but not as a dominant note. It has a fair amount of Kaiko and borneol, tabu. I haven’t burned it in a while, but I think it might’ve had some costus.
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I'm even more intrigued now. Sounds potentially purely ceremonial?
 
Ahmaoud said:
A much better description than I could have given for Kai Un Koh. I'm sorta on the fence on whether I truly enjoy it or not, while it burns I find it smokier than Tokusen Kobunboku. The scent itself is much heavier than that one or even Kaden Kobunboku, if Tokusen is airy and cool, Kai Un Koh is warming and makes you feel weighed down. I find the use of Borneol dialed way back compared to what's in Tokusen. The aroma of the afterburn isn't something I enjoy all that much, while lit I can perceive the fenugreek, but as the scent lingers it gets stronger and stronger, turning into an almost curry like note in the air. I second the presence of costus in this formula, it's utilized well but even still, it packs a punch!

If Tibetan and Bhutanese incense make something like this seem light, then I'm not sure I'll ever be able to try them out!
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I'm a big fan of Tibetan dhoop style incense however heavy scents are difficult for me to burn in my apartment here as it fills the space so quickly. Some incense I save purely to be burnt outside only.
 
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