Incense and Bakhoor

Thank you for that valuable information Martin.
I am currently shopping for Makko also, same criteria as yours. I am leaning towards Baieido, but would love to hear from others (if they are willing to share). Also, which is the best charcoal to use?

 

I have Yamada Matsu makko, quite a lot actually. I don’t know how much it matches your idea of transparency. It is quite old - from 2002 I think.

 

I have consulted with several makers including the honorable KZ who makes his own. So far, the 500g paper bag of Baieido makko is the leader but there is more work to do. Gum powder is also used because of it’s high stickiness AND less than half of gum powder takes the place of makko. Besides finding out more about qualities of Baieido makko (or other) some experimentation is needed to assess the aroma of gum powder. There’s a possibility a blend might be optimal. Bamboo ash is no problem. I’m not anticipating a need for bamboo charcoal powder—at least I hope not with pure agarwood sticks. The charcoal might be needed for blends with frankincense or sandal though.
I read David Offers words on makko, that there are 4 grades with the highest grade being the most transparent. No autumn leaves burning wanted here!!!

 

Any recommendations on which particular gum powder??

 

It’s the powder Tony Bolton’s wife Tha uses. I have a few packets and need to learn more. One fellow a little further ahead has reported positive results with test batches. I’m going try and learn more about the gum powder.

 

Shoyeido Translucent Path
and
Dr. Incense Assam

Sky and Earth

I’m solid right now

 

Random frankincense of unknown origin on the subitism. Whole house smells like rosemary, citrus, wax and pine. Yum!

 

Dr Incense - Processed Assam

Nice work by Dr.

His new launch coming next Saturday he gave a teaser. There is very rare Black Kynam up for sale. Hope I'm lucky to get my hands on it.

Sent from my SM-N960F using Tapatalk

 

Dr.’s Malinau
Started working on stick #2
This one keeps going out on me, have to relight it several times.

I am perplexed.........
I put a sliver of sinking Filipino on my heater at a high heat setting. Shortly after, as the resin bubbles and starts to turn black, the aroma has more of a burnt smell, but when an incense stick burns the agarwood within, the aroma never smells quite as burnt. Is it because the glowing ember doesn’t cook the resin too long, and that portions of the heated resin end up in the ash instead of getting over cooked?
Well, I should find the answer when I use those same sinking Filipino chips and make incense sticks out of them. I’ve got Baieido Makko, and Shoyeido Ceremonial Charcoal on order. But being such a procrastinator, I hope I can make some before year’s end

 

Rising Phoenix
https://www.etsy.com/listing/650623...ga_search_query=Kynam&ref=shop_items_search_4

 

KZ Tarakan

What I smell mostly from this stick is the agarwood. Nice stick to set the “Bar” for artisanal incense.

I am reminded of Sabah agarwood, well, the regions are close to each other.

Dr. Incense’s Tarakan has a slightly different Tarakan profile.

Okay....incense nerd time.....
I examine my incense and oudh chips under magnification all the time. I noticed that even with these very agarwoody sticks from KZ and Dr. that there is a ground crystal looking substance that is in the mix, and even in the ash (they don’t totally combust). I am assuming that it is Borneol Camphor, and that just a very tiny amount can accentuate the aroma of the agarwood. There was a discussion on Basenotes about sprinkling a tiny amount of Camphor on oudh chips when you burn them, also a little Nagarmotha on Cambodian chips for a Kyara-like burn
I will experiment one day (hopefully this year, or at least by the end of next year)

 

Pace yourself

 

Lit Shunkohdo Ranjatai

My imagination speaks Black Aoud when I smell this stick. A dark wood agarwoody note. Nothing factual, just my impression, because I never smelled black wood, black agarwood, nor Montale’s Black Aoud


***News Flash***
The stakes just got higher with Nippon Kodo’s Top Line:



Man oh man!!
You’ve really got to have money to burn with these sticks.
Literally!!

 

What does that convert to in USD? Are those prices Japanese yen?

 

As of today
1 Yen =.0093 Dollars
¥1,080,000=$10,044

Good observation...I don’t know why Kohgen departed from using the Yen symbol. I do not recognize the monetary symbol that is attached to their prices. But from past comparison, it is Japanese Yen pricing

 

Today : Smiling Orchid - KZ

 

Looks like Dr. Incense/Incensemaster


For today

Seijudo Shiragiku


.....as I was pondering the Kinam note, I reflected that Kinam is more of a low temperature burn, as other agarwoods may also be, and is not well suited for combustion. To use Kinam in a stick, to feature it’s signature aromatic profile, you should expect more failure than success. It would be wiser to create a blend, that the combusting Kinam could help accentuate.

I’m still learning as I go

 

Kyukyodo Murasakino

Such a perplexing blend

 

Needed one more session while I was doing stuff online.....
IO Walla Patta and Shoyeido Translucent Path
my room was heavenly

 

Kyarazen Shushin

I can’t recall what region the agarwood was from.
It smells Cambodi or Thai.

Very nice stick, reminds me of Seijudo’s Kyara Seiran. Sweet resin, a little fruit. Thin stick, big punch.....wish I had more than the sample stick.