Various Indian Incense Reviews

I will review a selection of some Indian-style incense I've had the pleasure of burning lately. These ARE NOT your $400 japanese high quality pure agarwood scents, so please go away if you're an incense snob who refuses to burn anything but pure expensive incense. A few of these are also CHARCOAL scents, so go away if you hate charcoal incense as well. I like high quality japanese incense as well as the next incense snob, but I ALSO happen to love well-made charcoal incense, masalas, and just very well-made Indian incense. Anyway, on to the incense! Most of these can be found at Absolute Bliss Imported Incense, but if they cannot, I will provide a link to where you CAN find them.

- HM Silver Sandalwood/Extra Special Sandalwood -

One of my favorite scents ever, this is pure bliss in stick form. It is sweet, woody, and well-made. There are actually several different types of this sandalwood, each with it's own special scent. Each one is great, but one or two stand out above the others. This is made by HM and Sons, a company with a long history of making superb incense. They also make Pure-Incense's Absolute and Connoisseur Sandalwood scents, as well as the very similar Black Sandalwood Absolute. The differences between Silver and the Pure Incense versions (except Connoisseur) is negligible. They all have the same sweet, woody goodness that I love. The Extra Special HM Sandal (sold by Absolute Bliss) and the Connoisseur Sandalwood (sold by Essence of the Ages) smell in all honesty almost the same. The price is even similar. You can get 100 grams of Extra Special from Absolute Bliss for around $55 (this is WITH shipping) and at EoTA for $68 (with shipping, excluding the free shipping if you spend over $85). The one from AB is $13 cheaper, and you will get 12 sticks per pack, so it will end up actually being OVER 100 grams. Depending on your preferences, this is a superb scent with a lot of purchasing options.

- HM Agarwood -

Very similar to HM Sandalwood, but a little more woody and less vanilla-sweetness. I can't honestly say this smells like Japanese agarwood, because there is a huge difference between japanese and Indian agarwood. It honestly doesn't smell like pure Indian agarwood either, but the oil in it definitely has some real agarwood somewhere, even if it is just from the stick being soaked in essential oil or something. It's there, and it adds a special something to this stick that makes it preferable to some people over the sandalwood. There is also a Pure Incense version of this, but I have not tried it so I cannot make a comparison. I can only review the HM Agarwood I purchased from AB, and I love it. If Pure Incense's version is at least somewhat similar, then I'm sure that's equally good. You can purchase this for the exact same price as Extra Special Sandal from AB. $5 a pack, $55 for 100g.

- HM Mallica and Pink Sayli -

These two incenses are, to put it in a single word: pink. Yes, PINK! These smell pink. For both of these, the 'pink' floral smell is soft, smooth, and relaxing. I'll do Mallica first, since it was the one I tried first.

Mallica

Not too sweet, a very soft vanillaish masala scent. To me, this smells like a warm bubble bath with creamy body wash, flower petals, and spring air. The stick isn't very thick, but it's definitely not charcoal-based and the bamboo is barely noticeable. If you're the kind of person who likes to feel the stick, it feels like it's dry and has a too-thick bamboo core, but that's definitely not the way it smells. This is an amazing incense, and I wish I would have had more than one stick to sample, but still, I'm glad Corey chose to send THIS stick for me to sample. When I order from HM&S again, I'll be sure to place an order for this so I can give a more detailed review. One stick isn't enough to allow me to detect all the strange ingredients that make this stick so…oddly sweet and creamy smelling. The stick itself, and the rolled incense around the stick, is a nice pink color very fitting with the scent and name. This incense, most of all, smells pink. Pink! Try a stick, and you'll think 'wow, that smells pink!' as well.

Pink Sayli

Much like Mallica, soft, floral, and airy. To my nose, this isn't noticeably too much different than Mallica, except in makeup and texture. There is a less-noticeable vanilla scent to this one, with the florals being stronger. Still, this is not a strong, heady incense. It smells like a spring garden just beginning to bloom, a rosy-pink greenhouse with a touch of honeysuckle and vanilla to give it that something extra that makes it just a tad better than Mallica. The version I'm reviewing is the Connossieur (I can't spell that) version, not the Absolute version. I have a feeling that the Absolute version would be just like Mallica. This too smells 'pink' and will bring to mind flower shops on Valentine's day and, for me, a beautiful bouquet of carnations. Yes, I think Pink Sayli smells a bit like a stronger smelling carnation, at least during parts of the burn. I'm burning this as I type this, the scent changing with almost every second as the stick burns down. The stick itself is, like Mallica, thinner than you would think, very pink, and a bit dry. It does have the 'fuzz' on the stick like the fresh-rolled incense from Happy Hari, however.

Overall

These are both truly amazing incenses. HM&S produces quality products, Primo or Pure-Incense line. When trying both, you will definitely find a counterpart to the other, even if the name is totally different. I certainly didn't expect Pink Sayli to be an almost-clone of Mallica when I opened the box today, but, boy am I glad it was! I was disappointed when I learned how amazing Mallica was, but hadn't ordered a pack. As for vendors and price, you can find Mallica at various incense sites that sell Primo, specifically Absolute Bliss (where I got mine) and the official Primo website. Absolute Bliss sells them 12 sticks per pack at around $5, and the official Primo site sells a 125 gram pack for $20 or if you REALLY must never run out of this superb incense, 500 grams for $60!

As for Pink Sayli, Essence of the Ages sells it for around $9 for the Conno version, about 9 sticks per pack, and the Absolute version (which was NOT reviewed by me) for around $15 for 40+ sticks. The official Pure-Incense website has all kinds of combinations and variety packs, and they're priced in pounds. I would have to convert the currency to give an accurate price, but I think I'm close in saying the prices at the official website are very close to the EotA prices, maybe a bit more due to pounds being worth more than dollars.

I do recommend that people with sensitive noses try BOTH. If your nose isn't super sensitive (like mine) I would suggest going for the Mallica, since to me it smells so similar it's barely noticeable. Perhaps others will come along and give me a detailed description on just what I'm missing with Pink Sayli, but in my eyes, Mallica is the winner here. Primo beats Pure-Incense with this version, for me!

- HEM The Moon -

Yes, this is charcoal, and it is dipped. This does NOT detract from the amazing scent, however. The Moon is light, ethereal, and has a just smells 'silver', like the real moon. There are other scents in the Celestial line, but this one is the real gem. The Sun smells like dishwater, but this one is amazing. Oddly, it has a lovely milk and honey scent mixed with an unusual mix of florals I can't identify that give it a scent reminiscent of standing underneath the moonlight. This scent evokes a feeling of standing in an open field, dew-covered grass beneath bare feet, and a full moon looming overhead. The soft, buttery ethereal scent works well for meditation or just enjoying a good scent while reading or relaxing.

The Moon is a long, charcoal stick that smells like burning wood when first lit, but quickly gives way to the true light smell you're looking for. The stick burns quite awhile, and is a great incense to use daily if you want a cheap quality incense. It's black, as is most charcoal incense, and dipped in a hard-to-define floral perfume. Absolutely none of the "dipped" and "charcoal" descriptions should prevent you from trying this great scent.

It is very cheap and very economical. It can be found from various sellers on eBay and Amazon. Incense Warehouse has all packs very cheap. You can get an eight stick pack for a mere $.95 and a box of six 20 packs for around $7, which is the way I went. For such a great scent, you simply cannot pass up 120+ sticks for only $7. A lot of places refuse to carry such incense as HEM, but I suggest they at least look at the Moon. HEM's other scents leave a lot to be desired, but the Moon is a classic and a true beauty, evoking moonlight, relaxation, and calm nights.

- Fred Soll's Honey Amber -

This incense is thick and resinous, VERY sticky (well, it is honey!), and has an amazing, smooth, soft smell. It is charcoal with thick, sticky resin rolled around the stick, and the charcoal is undetectable while burning (to me). The stick will occasionally go out after being lit due to how heavy and thick the resin is, but once it starts burning this only happens once in awhile. As Fred's site advises, these burn much better in the horizontal position and go out more if they are burned in a vertical or upside down position (like a white bottle turned into an incense burner). The amber scent mixes deliciously with the sticky honey and gives off a warm, toasty smell that will make your entire room feel warm, no matter how cold it is. The honey scent is also quite noticeable. It's resinous, mixes beautifully with the amber, and is so sweet you might get hungry burning this stick!

There is no powdery scent like most amber incenses give off, nor does it smell at all like perfume. This smells like real amber resin mixed with real honey. This is a true piece of art, and the most amazing sweet stick I've ever burned. It is NOT the best amber stick I've burned, but it is way up there, and definitely the best honey-sweet stick I've ever had.

This incense burns long (up to 3 hours!) and can fill the room after only 15 minutes of burning. The way I burn it is to let it smolder for 10-15 minutes, then put it out. The scent is so strong the entire room is suffused after a short time. Once the scent fades, I relight it and continue the cycle. A 20 pack can last months, which is a good thing, since these are more expensive than most types of resin-sticks.

Honey Amber is well worth the price. You can find it on various websites. Essence of the Ages, Amazon, eBay, and other incense retailers. The newest scents are found on eBay first, most of the time. Occasionally Amazon. Fred's official site sells Honey Amber in various forms. You can purchase a single sample stick for $1.50, a pack of 10 for $13, and a full pack of 20 for $17. You get free shipping for any order over $50, and if you want, you can indeed place an order entirely made up of samples of each of the scents sold. For one pack of Honey Amber alone from Fred's official site, however, it will be $23 exactly. You can find it cheaper on eBay, sold by the same people who operate the official site. The owners at Fred Soll are amazing and will work with you on whatever you need. Joy Soll (Fred's wife) is very kind and will even send you a sample to try if you contact her.


All of Fred's incense is made by Fred, managed by Joy, and packaged by a small amount of people. A lot of hard work, love, and care goes into this amazing incense, and Honey Amber is definitely one that has to take some of the most work I can imagine. The pure amber alone must take ages to find and mix in such a good, strong quality and quantity! There is a LOT of amber on a single stick. If you love incense, I definitely suggest you at least try a sample of this one! This IS an Indian style incense, but it is completely made in America! 

Review of Absolute Bliss (Indian incense vendor)

Review for Absolute Bliss Imported Incense!


- Site Layout -

Easy to navigate, very nice to look at, lots of information. Contact links, site descriptions and incense descriptions are fairly easy to find, as well as the different types of incense. These are mostly organized by brand, except for the few scents which are from a brand that either doesn't make a lot of different scents or that the owner doesn't sell that many scents from. Two of these are Sugandha and Balaji, to name two of my favorites that don't have their own category. Overall, the site layout is very nice, but sometimes it doesn't update as fast as people buy out the incense (which should be a testament to how good the incense is!) so something may say SOLD OUT when it is not, while other items may look available, but are not currently in stock. If you have a question about whether what you want is in stock, use the contact form and the owner will usually get back to you within the day. On a scale of 1 to 10, the site layout gets a 9, one point removed simply due to the occasional is-it-in-stock-or-not thing.

- Customer Service And Communication -

Not much to say here except, AMAZING! Corey will get back to you very quickly and work with you on any order you place if you need to change it or have a problem, such as an item suddenly being out of stock. It is very easy and fast to communicate any issue you have to this site, unlike most incense sellers. Corey seems to really care for his customers and goes out of his way to make sure you're happy with what you get. Even when sending samples, if you want to try a certain type of incense, ask and you will likely receive, unless what you want to try isn't in stock. Overall, customer service and communication is DEFINITELY a 10! I'd give it a 20 if I could.

- Selection Of Incense -

Absolute Bliss has a great selection of Indian Masala incense, as well as a good selection of quality Indian charcoal incense. This site, so far, sells ONLY Indian incense and burners. No Tibetan or high-priced japanese incense here. This is a place for high quality indian incense only. Of all the incense sold on this site, I have yet to try a bad blend. Some of them just aren't for me, but they are far from bad. I have yet to try any cone incense, but he also sells a great selection of Indian cone incense, mostly from Kamini and SAC. The selection of stick incense is actually what makes this site so unique. As far as I know, this is the only incense site in the United States to sell Happy Hari's (almost) full selection. There are also some amazing scents being sold for under $3 that you can't find elsewhere unless you're willing to pay twice that, sometimes triple.

If you are wanting Indian incense, don't risk imitations, buy from Absolute Bliss. Everything is REAL, as well. Some Indian incense sites, as well as some scents sold on eBay under the names of certain types of scents, are FAKE and while they may smell okay, they are NOT original and do not smell near as good. I got a fake box of Balaji Chandanam from eBay and compared it to my AB box, and the difference was stunning. Both smelled similar, but the one from AB was actually made in the location and by the people of Balaji, while the fake looked as if it were churned out by someone who wanted to make a quick buck. This is real Indian incense, and you will never find a fake here. 10/10 for the selection of scents available!

- Pricing -

Absolute Bliss sells most of their incense for very reasonable prices, especially the Extra Special H&M scents. You CANNOT buy in bulk, however, but their non-bulk prices are cheap enough that you can simply order several packs of the incense you desire. Of all the scents available on the site, I believe the most expensive is around $6, and that's for Vinason's Extra Special Agarwood. Sage sticks are also sold for $11. Abalone shells and stands are included in burners. The price for the large sample pack is also very reasonable. You get 64 sticks of your choice (or a mystery pack) for a mere $25. A great deal!

- Overall Impressions -

Excellent site, and once you order, you'll likely be a customer for life! The available scents and the quality is incomparable and the prices are great. Corey is an excellent owner and a very nice person to deal with. Absolute Bliss is very...blissful to deal with when it comes to ordering incense. I didn't put Shipping as a review category, because all I can say is that it's really fast and usually arrives in 2 days after it is shipped. The price is also a very low $4 (maybe a few cents more, I never really checked). This is REALLY cheap, especially if you are ordering a lot. The packaging is also great. Everything is packed tight and very well put together. If there are any broken sticks, it is probably your fault from trying to get it out of the package or the fault of the USPS! All the packs of incense ARE, I repeat, packed tightly to avoid movement and damage, so be careful removing them. Do not just rip them out of the package. Carefully cut away the tape and a side of the heavy cardboard if you need to in order to get the incense out safely. So, if you love Indian incense, this is the place to go. You can't go wrong with anything from Absolute Bliss. Don't wait, get your sampler pack now! Try some Absolute Bliss for yourself. You won't be sorry!

Happy Hari Incense: A small selection of reviews!

Happy Hari - Nag Champa GOLD!!!, Meena Supreme, Dharana Sutra, and Queen of Lotus

NAG CHAMPA GOLD!!!

This is what Nag Champa should smell like. I haven't smelled anything like this since Fred Soll's natural Nag Champa, and that has a charcoal base rather than a masala base like this one seems to (correct me if I'm wrong, Paul). It's smooth, sweet, and spicy. The gold dust gives it a beautiful sheen that you never see in incense. Incense isn't usually made to be pretty, but this one is. It makes you want to roll the stick across your skin for the beautiful golden sheen it gives. Yes, I did this on my arm. I rolled a stick up and down the side of my arm and it sparkled and glittered beautifully in the light, like real gold would have. It's almost like a combo of incense and make up.

The smell is so smooth…it reminds me of what little I can remember of the original blue box Nag Champa, but so much more. The sticks are thin, but oh-so-fragrant! I'm really glad I ordered two packages instead of just the one I was considering. I'm also glad I told Corey (who I ordered from at Absolute Bliss) that I wanted the old version of Nag Champa GOLD rather than the new version, which I hear doesn't contain the delightful gold dust (correct me if I'm wrong)!

All in all, this is the best Nag Champa you can find on the market nowadays, especially if you're sensitive to charcoal. You can find this at Absolute Bliss (which I've linked a few times) and Happy Hari's Official site. You can also find it at Happy Hari's Etsy shop. All of Nag Champa GOLD!!!s packages are 15 grams, but you can easily order more. Paul, the owner of Happy Hari, is an awesome guy and will surely help you out if you wanted to order say, 40 grams of Nag Champa GOLD!!! I ordered 30 grams, and it was worth it.

MEENA SUPREME

I am burning a stick of this now (my 2nd one so far) so I can tell you pretty well how it smells and how the scent changes. It starts with a slightly tangy floral/citrus note, kind of frankincense-y. I don't know if it contains frankincense (I have no idea what the ingredients are!) but it definitely has the floral-sweet of a really good Oman frankincense. At first, I am reminded of burning rare green frankincense mixed with rose petals on a heater or charcoal. Slowly, the floral-citrus fades, leaving mostly a sweet floral scent. The sweet floral scent remains with the stick the longest. It burns softly, slowly, and the heady, romantic scent fills the room. It also seems to have a small touch of Oud, spices, and a slight champa-like scent near the end of the stick, which gives it a nice woody touch. This incense has been sometimes described as erotic, and I agree with that choice of description. It is very romantic, and I did use a stick of this to help, er, set the mood with my fiance. He has no sense of smell, so I don't know if it worked on him, but I definitely felt something. This is a great incense to burn during a wedding (like Dharana Sutra) or simply for some enjoyment during a nice date or romantic interlude.

The incense is made in what's called the fluxo style, it is thick, soft, and long-burning. The stick is colored a pale gold/yellow and has a thin bamboo center. This is definitely NOT charcoal and it is very definitely hand-rolled and made with love (and for love). My stick has been burning for over 30 minutes so far, and it's around half done. I have 20 grams of Meena Supreme and I expect it to give me around 10 hours of sweet, romantic delight. You can find this scent at Happy Hari's official site, Essence of the Ages (I do not know how much longer), and Corey's Absolute Bliss site.

If you're buying incense and want something long-lasting, well-made, and well-priced, do not hesitate! Meena Supreme will give you everything you're looking for. However, it is strong, so if you are very sensitive, work up to this one with Queen of Lotus or a Sutra scent! These are made by the same person and will prepare you for the strength of Meena Supreme! The price varies, but you can get 10 grams for around $3-4. It is around a dollar cheaper when ordered from the official site, however. With the converter I used, it's around $2.19 for 10 grams. I ordered 20 grams, and it still isn't enough, so I would suggest ordering more than just the 10 gram pack! You won't regret it. Thanks to the sellers and makers of the delightful Meena Supreme!

DHARANA SUTRA

VERY rosy, but not overwhelming like Silver Rose. Has a slight spiciness to it, but overall, it's just a very good rose-scented incense with, oddly, an oud-like scent lurking deep within. Smells like a really nice rose air freshener spray, but without the chemical scent. The stick is thin and looks like charcoal, but is likely a masala. Oddly, it smells…pink. Yes, pink. I don't know how a color can smell, but that's what this smells like. Pink. Just like Mallica, and there is some similarity between the two. It's a great incense to burn on Valentine's Day or any other romantic holiday. It's a strong scent, but still not overwhelming, and it's great if you want/need a strong-smelling, delicious incense to suffuse your office, meditation area, or just home in general.

This Sutra scent has a very…happy smell, I guess you could say. It's a joyful scent. The beautiful rose-flavor is something I have smelled several times at a nice wedding and several times when I was vacationing in India. It's a scent you could find near temples or at a personal shrine. A beautiful scent to honor the gods with!

The stick is black with with pink flecks up and down the stick. It's really pretty to look at in addition to smell. This is probably one of the most unique, delightful Sutras, and my review would probably be more detailed, but I only had one stick to sample. Still, if one stick can make this strong of an impression, I can only imagine how I'd feel about it with a full pack. This incense is sold on Etsy and at HappyHari's official site. It's $3.41 for a pack of 6-7 sticks (10 grams) and a full pack should burn for around 3+ hours. The single sample stick I had burned for over 40 minutes, so it likely depends on how thick the stick is.

QUEEN OF LOTUS

This is superb and smells like beautiful, expensive hand cream! Or face cream, or very nice shampoo. I really want to rub this incense all over my face. This is sweet, tangy, and oh-so-very smooth. There is a hint of Lotus (the soft, floral scent) but the Lotus takes second fiddle to whatever scent is creating the amazing cream smell. The stick is very thick, soft, and definitely hand-rolled. It's so fresh that sometimes little bits of powder will stick in the bottom of the package when you're removing it. This really should be a must try for everyone. Happy Hari's definitely went out of their way to make this something special, and I cannot WAIT to try Emperor of Amber (a stick SO thick you only get one per pack)!

You get 4 sticks per pack, and each pack is in a nice, well-protected plastic bag. Easy to reseal, easy to keep fresh. It can be purchased at Etsy, Happy Hari's official site, and Absolute Bliss. You may occasionally find it on eBay, but it's rare. Happy Hari's Etsy shop. where you can find pretty much everything, and products are already converted to USD. At Etsy, you can choose the amount you want. 10 grams is 4 sticks, I believe, so 100 grams would be 40 sticks. This is a VERY good buy. These thick, luscious sticks will last you at least two hours per stick. In the future, I definitely plan to buy more than 10 grams. I hate to say this, but I do believe this incense may be even better than Pure-Incense's Blue Lotus!

Do yourself a favor, if you love Indian incense, get Queen of Lotus! I purchased this without even trying a sample first, and was not disappointed!

To purchase, you can find all of these at Happy Hari's Etsy site, as well as his official site. I prefer the Etsy site due to the ease of payment and how you can save things in your cart for as long as you want, provide you have an account. These were all bought at Absolute Bliss, however, which provides fast shipping, excellent customer service, and many free samples! The Dharana Sutra was actually a free sample, and one of the best!

Here is Happy Hari's Etsy site!

Absolute Bliss, run by the amazing Corey!

Happy Hari's Official Site (new version)