new to enjoying incense, here are my first impressions of my first order!
First time ordering incense online! Got a bunch of samplers from Kikoh, in addition to a couple of scents yall recommended. I’ve had them for roughly a week now and I’ve been taking notes on everything i’ve tried so far, i’ve pasted my opinions down below:
Kokando Kaori no Kioku Chocolate
Genuinely smells like chocolate! Strong note of a smooth chocolate with a subtle sweetness. Immensely enjoyable scent with wide appeal. Not overly strong. Has become one of my favorites so far.
Gyokushodo Seicyo Kojurin
A bit more on the “traditional” sandalwood smelling side, but with a clean tone. On the smooth side for a sandalwood, with a light petal-like, almost soap-like fragrance. Relatively strong scent.
Gyokushodo Omiya
Light scent, doesn’t carry as far as any of the other scents i’ve tried so far. Very clean, moderately wood scent, almost forest-y. Has an underlying tone of a classic sandalwood, but subtle. Excellent if you dislike strong scents.
Kunjudo Kozanmai Green Tea
More of a traditional, “classic” incense scent, quite a smoky tone to start. Subtle green tea notes to begin with, but definitely builds as the incense burns. Leaves behind a smokey green tea scent. Personally don’t enjoy this one much, very strong and smoke-forward.
Kyarakunkoh Kida Jinseido
Smokey, lightly spiced incense. I’m finding that i prefer reduced smoke formulas. Smelling a lovely wood that i’m not familiar with; is that aloeswood? Not quite as strong as the Kunjudo Kozanmai. Has the tiiiiiniest hint of cinnamon, but you have to hunt for it. Builds to a more “traditional” smokey, woody incense scent.
Kunjudo Karin
Smoky, woody, and lightly spiced. Classic sandalwood base with a lovely cinnamon twist. A nice, simple incense for those who appreciate tradition but want some subtle variation. Not too heavy on the smoke! Would be excellent for occasional or ceremonial use, wouldn’t personally recommend for daily unless you like full smoke. Strong scent, but not overpowering. The scent of sandalwood and cinnamon lingers a bit.
Kunjudo Shirayuki
A much lighter, cleaner scent compared to Kunjudo Karin. Not overly heavy compared to other full smoke formulas i’ve tried so far. Very light and smooth for a sandalwood base, with a subtle semi-sweet floral fragrance. Similar to the Gyokushudo Seicyo Kojurin, but heavier on the floral and without the soapy notes. Fitting for a sandalwood-based Snow White.
Kunjudo Tokusen Karin
Base notes of sandalwood and cinnamon, much more spiced than Kunjudo Karin. The sandalwood and cinnamon blend together quite smoothly, leaving a strong (but not overpowering) impression. The least smoke-scented of the Kunjudo Karin samplers i’ve tried so far! The subtle floral sweetness ties it all together; one of my favorite sandalwoods so far.