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A Refined Japanese Classic Tokusen Kobunboku belongs to Baieido's well-known Kobunboku family, a collection built around one of the incense house's signature formulas. The original Kobunboku combines sandalwood with traditional aromatic ingredients including borneol, clove, cinnamon and other herbs. Tokusen takes this familiar foundation and adds Kalimantan aloeswood, giving the blend greater depth and a darker woody character. The name Kobunboku is associated with the plum tree, while 'Tokusen' roughly means specially selected or excellent. Rather than completely reinventing the original, Tokusen feels like a deeper and more complex interpretation of it. For anyone beginning to explore traditional Japanese incense,...

Agarwood vs Sandalwood Agarwood and sandalwood are two of the most important aromatic woods used in incense. Both have been used for centuries across Asian incense traditions, but their fragrances are quite different. Sandalwood is generally warm, smooth and sweet. Agarwood, also known as aloeswood or oud, tends to be deeper and more complex with woody, resinous, sweet, earthy and sometimes bitter notes. What Do Agarwood and Sandalwood Smell Like? Sandalwood has a soft and rounded aroma. Good sandalwood can smell creamy, slightly sweet and almost buttery, with a woody warmth. It's usually quite easy to recognise and often provides...

The Enduring Appeal of Nag Champa Few incense fragrances have achieved the reputation of Nag Champa. For many people it was their first introduction to Indian incense and decades later, it remains one of the world's most recognisable aromas. Sweet, floral and creamy, it's a fragrance that has become closely associated with meditation, yoga and moments of reflection. Bhagwan's Nag Champa Supreme is one of the finest modern interpretations of this classic style. Rich, balanced and beautifully composed, it captures the warmth and familiarity that made Nag Champa famous while adding an extra layer of depth that reveals itself throughout...

Beyond the Typical Sandalwood Incense Shroff's True Sandal is one of the finest sandalwood incenses on the market. Revered by long-time incense enthusiasts, it has earned a reputation for capturing the fragrance of genuine sandalwood with remarkable accuracy. Sandalwood is one of the most recognisable fragrances in the world of incense. Walk into almost any gift shop or browse online, and you'll find countless sticks labelled Sandalwood. Yet despite the name, many of them bear only a passing resemblance to the fragrance of the wood itself. Inexpensive sandalwood incense often relies heavily on fragrance oils or synthetic sandalwood accords. The result...

Resin incense is one of the oldest forms of incense in the world. Long before incense sticks and cones became common, aromatic tree resins were being burned in temples, homes, and ceremonial spaces across the Middle East, Africa, Asia and the Americas. Unlike incense sticks, resin incense is made from the hardened sap of trees and shrubs. When heated, these natural resins release rich and often complex aromas that many enthusiasts consider to be among the purest incense experiences available. If you're new to resin incense, this guide will introduce the different types of resin we stock, what they smell...