I have burned a bunch of the tokusen kobunboku. Most back in 2002/2003. Haven't smelled it in a while. You describe getting an old box as if it was a decision you have been waiting to make for a while. Was it expensive? My main recollection of this is that it smells a whole lot like benzoin with some agarwood mixed in. Little too much benzoin for me. I love essence of the ages although sometimes it smells like all of their incense is stored in a single box so sometimes you'll get some wood chips that smell like nag Champa
I hear ya, each pkg. does smell like a nag champa warehouse.
The benzoin note was nearly a deal breaker, but with my batch, it’s not so heavy. I am hoping this old batch of Tokusen Syukohkoku will be even better than mine (keeping my fingers crossed).
Another thing that made me hesitant was that it was the large 170g box ($225), that’s more than I’ll never need.
Speaking of Tokusen Kobunboku, my box is an old batch also, I was lighting that stick this morning, and I think I smelled tha agarwood in it, a sweet agarwood, need more sessions to determine if it is indeed so.
I can’t wait to do a side by side comparison of my Tokusen Syukohkoku to the one arriving.
I’m just a sucker for Baieido’s sticks, with recipes originating since 1657, they really hit the spot, too bad they don’t maintain the same level of quality in their stuff.
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