There are five basic processes that make up most of the incense from India (agarbatties).  These processes are the same for incense made in other countries as well.  First up is the most common type and the one you are most likely already familiar with.

Masala is the Indian word for a blend of spices and herbs.  Masala incenses are created by blending a number of herbs, spices and precious woods together into a paste and then rolling them onto a bamboo stick.  Masala type incense usually do not contain perfume or fragrance oils that can evaporate and so they maintain their scent for longer than less expensive incense.  Hem Dragons Blood is a good example of a masala type incense.

Charcoal is used in the manufacture of the blank stick which is then dipped into a mixture of perfume and essential oils.  The charcoal is usually derived from sandalwood powder and other substances such as resin.  Charcoal incense sticks are black or near-black in color and are distinctive for the very rich scent they give off when burning.  You should be cautious when buying “hand dipped” or “double dipped” incense sticks because many lower quality sticks use Di-Propylene Glycol as part of the process and it can cause headaches or migraines in some people.  A good quality charcoal incense stick is Gonesh Sandalwood Ultra Rich for example.

Durbars (and Champas) are made with a wet-process from ingredients that are not terribly familiar in the west. Solid and liquid perfume ingredients are blended and amalgamated into a gummy base that never quite dries.  This makes the stick soft and slightly damp to the touch. They are all highly fragranced and very slow burning.  Most have a very sweet and spicy bouquet that is distinctive of Indian incense. The premier example would be Satya Sai Baba Nag Champa.

Combination incense have the qualities of both Masala and Charcoal incense types.  Usually a Masala type incense is created then dipped into perfume (or essential) oil.  This produces a very colorful, very rich bouquet with many distinctive notes and a long lingering scent after burning.

Wood Base incenses (which include many ambers) contain very little other than powdered or shaved wood plus perhaps some resin or solid perfume.  These types of incense are burned with the use of charcoal and a special cauldron type burner.  Although any durable bowl filled with sand as a heat sink will do.  Charcoal burns very hot and caution should be exercised when using this type of incense.

Finally, there is a sub group of the Masala type of incense known as “Dhoop”.  Dhoop style incense contains no bamboo core, as the ingredients are mixed and then extruded and cut to length.  Many people prefer Dhoop style incense because of the purity of scent they offer because there is no “note” of burning charcoal or bamboo.  However, the range of scents available with Dhoop style incense is not as great as that of the other types.  Morning Star incense from Japan is a Dhoop style incense that I highly recommend.

I also recommend The Zen Hippie as the place to purchase incense.  They have outstanding customer service and an ever expanding product line.

I recently discovered Gonesh incense for the first time.  Although it has been around quite awhile I never bothered to sample it because it is made with charcoal.  I have had a few “not so great” experiences with charcoal based incense before and I was hesitant to give Gonesh a try.

It just so happened that with my latest order from my favorite online incense retailer The Zen Hippie I received a sample of Gonesh Ultra Rich Sandalwood.  So I thought I would try it with an open mind (and nose) and see what it was like.

First, I should not have worried that the charcoal base would give an unpleasant note to the burning incense.  It does not and the incense itself smells absolutely wonderful.  Rich, warm, earthy and sensuous with a light touch of florals that combine to make this particular incense one of my new favorites.

It may sound silly of course, but the scent of this incense while burning causes me to visualize silk, linen and elegantly coiffed women.  It is very strange what our subconscious has associated with various scents and I have no idea what mine associates sandalwood with those things.  Unless it is because the scent of this Gonesh offering is so rich and sensual and warm.

I would recommend this incense to both fans of Sandalwood or people who have never tried it before.  It is a rich, sensual introduction to a classic (and wonderful) incense scent.

You can get it here: Gonesh Ultra Rich Sandalwood