Kesar Deluxe

Incense Name: Kesar Deluxe
Manufacturer: Incense Works
City: Salt Lake City
Country: United States (manufactured in India)
Description on Package: Created especially for meditation, this saffron & sandalwood incense has a delightfully rounded bouquet. Its exotic perfume is always refreshing, never forgotten.
Slogan on Package: The Rare Incense Collection

Type: Masala Stick
Scent Family: Blend
Strength: Medium
Burn Time: 45 minutes
Afterburn Linger: 45 minutes
Smoke: Light
Good For: Total transformation, sensual meditation, holidays.

Review: There isn’t a thing about Kesar Deluxe I’ve experienced in another incense—but it’s a scent I’ve been searching for. The box screams 1972 in the coolest orange-brown way (Incense Works has unfortunately been changing their boxes; I got one of the last classic old ones). Even the masala on the stick itself is a unique orange-brown.

The scent of the stick pre-burn is reminiscent of an Indian dessert capable of mystifying your tongue and blowing your mind—you know the kind. And once lit, you’ll recognize that this smoke is impossibly true to the pre-burn aroma. Yum.

What’s powering this sunshine orange goodness? Saffron. And obviously very pure saffron along with other high quality ingredients. Every other saffron stick I’ve tried has been sick-sweet crap. Not here. Saffron as we know is quite expensive, but they don’t appear to be skimping (or at least the Incense Works are masters in finding what compliments their primary scent). The box mentions sandalwood, but I honestly can’t smell it during the burn. Not a lament—just pointing out that if you think saffron and sandalwood may clash, the mix masters have it under control.

But there is definitely a richness to this stuff bolstering the saffron that I can’t quite put my finger on. Like a nice clover honey hint—but with enough earth that things stay well in control. When sweetness is used to describe an incense, my guard goes up. There’s so much scary strawberry and other nasty stuff out there. Please keep that junk in the Bubblishious; Kesar Deluxe’s sweetness is rich and balanced—the real thing.

A bit lush for a daily burn, I enjoy this fine incense on weekends and special occasions. Keep a backup, because there isn’t another incense out there that can cure a craving for Kesar Deluxe.

Reviewed by Incense Nose

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