What's the best-smelling / flavor of incense, and where do you buy from?

[Heimdall]

For those who have home shrines, or your "temple away from temple",

What's the best smelling incense? What flavors / smells do you prefer? And why? What supplier do you use?

[Kim O'Hara]

I like sandalwood. It's a personal preference (I find most of the others too sweet) but it's also quite traditional.

What you can get depends on where you live but my experience is that Indian brands tend to burn more slowly than Chinese.


Kim

[reiun]

Most incense contains known carcinogens such as polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), carbonyls, and benzene.

Do not expose yourself or others.

[PadmaVonSamba]

I used to work in a shop that carried around 150 different packages of incense from around the world. As with wine, there is cheap, low quality incense and there is insanely expensive incense, and everything in between, in powders, resins, sticks, and cones. Incense aromas tend to be woody, flowery, or fruity.

High quality Japanese incense is probably the best incense in the world, especially aloeswood. There are entire societies in Japan dedicated to “Koh”
or incense culture and appreciation. In Asian cities where there are luxury shopping malls you will find high-end Japanese incense boutiques. The tiniest piece of incense might be lit, only a centimeter long perhaps.

Nippon Kodo is probably the most well-known brand outside of Japan. They produce low end and high end. Their high end stuff is very good. Japanese incense does not have a bamboo stick in the center.

Indian incense sticks have a bamboo stick in the center. It tends to be fruity. In my opinion, almost any incense produced by the Mysore Sughandi Dhoop Factory is very good quality.


Another type of incense is a black, gummy type from India called Laxshmi Dhoop, which the store I worked in stopped selling. It was a great seller, but because apparently it could pass for opium or opiated hashish, both in appearance and in smell, people were coming into the shop, buying it, then selling it on the street as dope. So we quit carrying it.

Tibetan incense tends to be woody, and runs the spectrum anywhere from instant-nirvana to instant-headache. But I’ve always found lóng sticks of red sandalwood to be a safe bet.

There is a type of woody incense from Nepal called rope incense. It’s basically sandalwood powder somehow rolled into rice paper strips and twisted into little rope-like units. I used to burn that together with a stick of sweet Indian Incense (“King Of Mysore”) the woody/sweet combination was really nice.

Pure resin incense, the kind burned in Catholic churches (Frankincense, Myrrh, Benzoin) is yet another option. It is burned by sprinkling a tiny amount on a cake of lit charcoal. There is a company called Three Kings that manufactures this type of charcoal, which has gunpowder mixed in it. You simply hold a match to it, it sparkles for a few seconds, then begins to glow hot. On this you can also sprinkle juniper, cinnamon, incense power, or other fragrant substances.

“Joss sticks” of high or low quality are burned in Chinese Buddhist and Taoist temples. They consist of yellow or red sandalwood powder in some kind of binder into which thin bamboo sticks are dipped. Also popular in Chinese Buddhist countries are incense coils. They are literally a long, flag coil of incense (no stick inside) which burns for a long time. To burn it, you suspend it, usually in a specially designed dish with a central post, it so it dangles from the center.

[KristenM]

I used to work in a shop that carried around 150 different packages of incense from around the world. As with wine, there is cheap, low quality incense and there is insanely expensive incense, and everything in between, in powders, resins, sticks, and cones. Incense aromas tend to be woody, flowery, or fruity.

High quality Japanese incense is probably the best incense in the world, especially aloeswood. There are entire societies in Japan dedicated to “Koh”
or incense culture and appreciation. In Asian cities where there are luxury shopping malls you will find high-end Japanese incense boutiques. The tiniest piece of incense might be lit, only a centimeter long perhaps.

Nippon Kodo is probably the most well-known brand outside of Japan. They produce low end and high end. Their high end stuff is very good. Japanese incense does not have a bamboo stick in the center.

Indian incense sticks have a bamboo stick in the center. It tends to be fruity. In my opinion, almost any incense produced by the Mysore Sughandi Dhoop Factory is very good quality.

Tibetan incense tends to be woody, and runs the spectrum anywhere from instant-nirvana to instant-headache. But I’ve always found lóng sticks of red sandalwood to be a safe bet.

Other types of incense include a black, gummy type from India called Laxshmi Dhoop, which the store I worked in stopped selling. It was a great seller, but because apparently it could pass for opium or opiated hashish, both in appearance and in smell, people were coming into the shop, buying it, then selling it on the street as dope. So we quit carrying it.

There is a type of woody incense from Nepal called rope incense. It’s basically sandalwood powder somehow rolled into rice paper strips and twisted into little rope-like units. I used to burn that together with a stick of sweet Indian Incense (“King Of Mysore”) the woody/sweet combination was really nice.

Pure resin incense, the kind burned in Catholic churches (Frankincense, Myrrh, Benzoin) is yet another option. It is burned by sprinkling a tiny amount on a cake of lit charcoal. There is a company called Three Kings that manufactures this type of charcoal, which has gunpowder mixed in it. You simply hold a match to it, it sparkles for a few seconds, then begins to glow hot. On this you can also sprinkle juniper, cinnamon, incense power, or other fragrant substances.

“Joss sticks” of high or low quality is used in Chinese Buddhist and Taoist temples. They consist of yellow or red sandalwood powder in some kind of binder into which things bamboo sticks are dipped. Also popular in Chinese Buddhist countries are incense coils. They are literally a long, flag coil of incense (no stick inside) which burns for a long time. To burn it, you suspend, usually in a specially designed dish with a central post, it so it dangles from the center.

Thank you for such a great guide to incense, I learned a lot. Must save for reference.

[Malcolm]

Thank you for such a great guide to incense, I learned a lot. Must save for reference.

Everything is a matter of taste of course, but in my estimation, Mindroling #2 in the blue box is the best. It’s made in Tibet. Can be bought from potalagate.

[bryandavis]

Some of the best is.... well.... the stuff I make. Self plug here.

Not traditional Tibetan formulas but good for general smoke offerings.

Just Etsy: vidyaaroma

If you google organic handmade incense it will pop up also.

Yes, please do buy some!

[Jesse]

Aside from the stupid name, NANDITA VAMPIRE Blood Incense - is one of my favorites. Think of something similar to nag champa with a much sweeter smell.

Then Nag Champa Gold , the black box one.

[gelukman]

I sell dharma items. I have lot of incense. Mainly from big gompas from tibet.
What to avoid: All indian/nepalese/bhutanese tibetan incense. Generally all bad.
Only red crystal incense get pass.

Indian traditional is too vast to say anything about.

Buying japanese all passes.
My favorite what I burn is blessed tibetan incense.

http://www.b-i-a.net/dharma%20shop.htm

Dhe-Tsang Mahakala Juniper Incense -This is truly amazing incense!

[KristenM]

Thank you for such a great guide to incense, I learned a lot. Must save for reference.

Everything is a matter of taste of course, but in my estimation, Mindroling #2 in the blue box is the best. It’s made in Tibet. Can be bought from potalagate.

Good to know, will check it out.

[seeker242]

Nippon-Kodo MORNING STAR - Sandalwood. https://www.nipponkodostore.com/MORNING ... -p/171.htm

I prefer it because that's what they have used at the zen temple I have attended so it actually smells like the "temple away from temple". I don't know if it's high or low quality, but that doesn't really matter to me. It just reminds me of being at the temple.

[Queequeg]

aloeswood - my preference.

[Konchog Thogme Jampa]

Some of the best is.... well.... the stuff I make. Self plug here.

Not traditional Tibetan formulas but good for general smoke offerings.

Just Etsy: vidyaaroma

If you google organic handmade incense it will pop up also.

Yes, please do buy some!

Sounds good might purchase use Etsy a lot

[bryandavis]

Some of the best is.... well.... the stuff I make. Self plug here.

Not traditional Tibetan formulas but good for general smoke offerings.

Just Etsy: vidyaaroma

If you google organic handmade incense it will pop up also.

Yes, please do buy some!

Sounds good might purchase use Etsy a lot

Excellent. Much Oblige.

It is all stick style like Tibtean or Japanese. All about same burn time 45 to 1hr.

I have a lot of single profiles like Blue sage. Cedar. Wormwood. Juniper. etc. Then I have blends for smoke offering like, cedar,juniper,wormwood,cypress,red&white sandal,pinch of agar,mugmort. Resin blends like Frankincense and Cedar, or Dragonsblood etc.

All sourced well, nothing synthetic, plant based only. For vegans no worries as no musk products.

Mixed with water infused with blessing pills of H.E. Garchen Rinpoche and an old stash from Lama Tharchin I had.

[Malcolm]

aloeswood - my preference.

Then you will like Agar 30 incense from Tibet. Its main ingredient is aloeswood, but has other herbs to balance it out. It is also a Tibetan Medical formula for excess vata. Can be ground and consumed as medicine.

Incense should be medicinally formulated. Its not just something to make your place smell better. There is a long ayurvedic tradition of inhaling smoke for lung health, etc. The origin of most incense in Buddhadharma derives from this tradition.

[Archie2009]

aloeswood - my preference.

Then you will like Agar 30 incense from Tibet. Its main ingredient is aloeswood, but has other herbs to balance it out. It is also a Tibetan Medical formula for excess vata. Can be ground and consumed as medicine.

Incense should be medicinally formulated. Its not just something to make your place smell better. There is a long ayurvedic tradition of inhaling smoke for lung health, etc. The origin of most incense in Buddhadharma derives from this tradition.

A search only turns up Agar 31. Is that it?

[Malcolm]

aloeswood - my preference.

Then you will like Agar 30 incense from Tibet. Its main ingredient is aloeswood, but has other herbs to balance it out. It is also a Tibetan Medical formula for excess vata. Can be ground and consumed as medicine.

Incense should be medicinally formulated. Its not just something to make your place smell better. There is a long ayurvedic tradition of inhaling smoke for lung health, etc. The origin of most incense in Buddhadharma derives from this tradition.

A search only turns up Agar 31. Is that it?

Yes.

[Queequeg]

aloeswood - my preference.

Then you will like Agar 30 incense from Tibet. Its main ingredient is aloeswood, but has other herbs to balance it out. It is also a Tibetan Medical formula for excess vata. Can be ground and consumed as medicine.

Incense should be medicinally formulated. Its not just something to make your place smell better. There is a long ayurvedic tradition of inhaling smoke for lung health, etc. The origin of most incense in Buddhadharma derives from this tradition.

Excess vata - maybe that's why I'm instinctually drawn to it. It does make me feel good.

Can you explain a little bit about the Agar 31 and how it works?

[Malcolm]

aloeswood - my preference.

Then you will like Agar 30 incense from Tibet. Its main ingredient is aloeswood, but has other herbs to balance it out. It is also a Tibetan Medical formula for excess vata. Can be ground and consumed as medicine.

Incense should be medicinally formulated. Its not just something to make your place smell better. There is a long ayurvedic tradition of inhaling smoke for lung health, etc. The origin of most incense in Buddhadharma derives from this tradition.

Excess vata - maybe that's why I'm instinctually drawn to it. It does make me feel good.

Can you explain a little bit about the Agar 31 and how it works?

Agar in general is very heavy, it is also cold, which one might think is bad for vata, but it’s heaviness is the key to counteracting the light quality of vajra. This incense uses three different types of agar, I.e lignum aloes. Generally Japanese incense only uses the aromatic variety.

[Queequeg]

Then you will like Agar 30 incense from Tibet. Its main ingredient is aloeswood, but has other herbs to balance it out. It is also a Tibetan Medical formula for excess vata. Can be ground and consumed as medicine.

Incense should be medicinally formulated. Its not just something to make your place smell better. There is a long ayurvedic tradition of inhaling smoke for lung health, etc. The origin of most incense in Buddhadharma derives from this tradition.

Excess vata - maybe that's why I'm instinctually drawn to it. It does make me feel good.

Can you explain a little bit about the Agar 31 and how it works?

Agar in general is very heavy, it is also cold, which one might think is bad for vata, but it’s heaviness is the key to counteracting the light quality of vajra. This incense uses three different types of agar, I.e lignum aloes. Generally Japanese incense only uses the aromatic variety.

Thank you. Will check it out.