Rasbihari Lal Ab. Sayli (Radharani) / Absolute Sayli

 

Called Ab. Sayli (Radharani) by Rasbihari - a devotional shop in the holy city of Vrindavan in Northern India, and Absolute Sayli by Padma Store - the Germany based online store which bought the incense from Rasbihari. The incense is made in and around Vrindavan by a selection of small producers. There are other outlets in Vrindavan, such as Vrindavan Bazaar, which may (or may not) be using the same local producers. 

The charcoal paste on the stick is covered by a thin layer of pink coloured fragrant masala/melnoorva powder. There is an incense sold by Pure Incense called Pink Sayli, though the melnoorva powder appears to be fluffier on the Pure sticks. Adi Guru, the owner of Pure Incense is known to source most of his incense from HMS in Pune - it may just be a coincidence, it may be HMS copying Vrindavan (or vice-versa), or Adi Guru may have sourced his Pink Sayli from Vrindavan. Who knows? Who cares anyway? Buy from whoever you are happy with. 

Sweet mostly musky-floral scent on the stick. Quite light and joyful. Very appealing. Very commercial. Some cute sharp notes, but mostly this is soft and inviting. I had some off-notes when I started my first stick - possibly a hair or something caught up in the paste. I broke off the end and started again. It was clearer, but the scent on the burn is not hugely inviting for me. It's a tad smoky and a tad obscure, like the Super MahaLaxmi I just reviewed. It comes around after a while to the sweet musky-floral notes I got from the powder on the stick. Nice, but a little simple, and not very bold or energetic. It does pleasantly, albeit modestly, inform the room, so it's OK, but I'm not really impressed. 

Available from Padma Store (as Absolute Sayli) -- 10gm for 5.45 Euros plus postage, or from Rasbihari (as Ab. Sayli (Radharani)) - 250gm for $12.50 plus postage.  Padma also sell a sample pack of 15 different scents bought from Rasbihari. A useful introduction. 

Date: Aug 2025    Score: 26

***

Rasbihari Lal & Sons

Reviewed in Germany

Discussed on Reddit

Rasbihari Lal Super Maha-Laxmi

 

Named after Krishna/Vishnu's partner and the Goddess of Abundance, Super Mahalaxmi has a scent on the stick of a creamy, sweet Nag Champa style incense. Sweet floral notes on top of creamy sandalwood, with vanilla and honey swirls. This appears to be an extruded charcoal paste which is then hand-rolled with a fragrant masala/melnoorva powder. The scent on the burn is obscure and a little smoky. Rather lower than average for this type of stick. If that is down to the scent blend or just batch variation I don't know, but these sticks are cheap as chips, and most have been very decent and certainly excellent value for money, so the occasional miss is acceptable. 

Available from Padma Store (as Super Mahalaxmi) -- 10gm for 5.45 Euros plus postage, or from Rasbihari (as Super Maha-Laxmi) - 250gm for $9 plus postage.  Padma also sell a sample pack of 15 different scents bought from Rasbihari. A useful introduction. 

Date: Aug 2025    Score: 23

***

Rasbihari Lal & Sons

Reviewed in Germany

Reviewed in USA

Discussed on Reddit

Rasbihari Lal Absolute(ly) Agarwood

   

Named "Absolute Agarwood" by Ashok at Padma Store (where these samples came from - sold at 18 Euros for 15 different scents), where the Agarwood sticks (as of August 2025) are currently sold out. Named as "Absolutely Agarwood" by Rasbihari, where they are $12.50 for 250gm, plus postage. 

   

Ab Agarwood from Rasbihari Lal

Interesting that Rasbihari Lal sells an Ab Oud and an Ab Agarwood. I wonder what they think distinguishes one from the other. My own understanding from usage I've seen over the years is that oud (or oudh) is the Arabic name for agarwood, in the same way that aloeswood is the American name for agarwood, so the use of the name would depend either on who is doing the talking, or who is being targeted. Added to which, as oud is the Arabic name, and oud is a very popular body perfume, especially male perfume, among Arabs, then there is a tendency to view oud as the oil or perfume, and agarwood as the wood. Given the source and price of these sticks, and that pretty much the majority of agarwood or oudh incense is made either from synthetic agarwood oil, such as Black Agar Givco, or a blend of natural essential oils, such as sandalwood, cedarwood, Nagarmotha (Cypriol), patchouli, and vetivert, both Ab Oud and Ab Agarwood are going to be made from scents that have not come from the agarwood tree. That's a given. I think the names are simple marketing terms - Ab Oud aimed at those who are looking for something perhaps more oily and sweet, and Ab Agarwood aimed perhaps at those looking for something a little more woody. But, having said that, I find the opposite to be the case! The Oud I found to be woody, while this Agarwood I find to be creamy and sweet, and even more to my taste with rich caramel notes and hints of vanilla. Both are fairly simple, commercially sweet and attractive, but also very charming and persuasive. And I particularly like the light notes in this Agarwood. Of course, mileage will vary, and there will be plenty of folks who prefer the Oud over this, and may find it sweeter.  They certainly play in the same garden. 

Date: June 2025    Score: 41

***

Rasbihari Lal & Sons

Reviewed in Germany

Reviewed in USA

Discussed on Reddit

The best oudh incense

Rasbihari Lal Absolute(ly) Oud

  

I like oud, so I am predisposed toward this. And I like incense made in and around the holy city of Vrindavan. There are a number of outlets - Rasbihari Lal's shop is one of them, Vrindavan Bazaar is another. Ashok Kapur, owner of the excellent German online shop, Padma Store, bought a bunch of sticks from the Rasbihari Lal shop, and that is where I got these sticks from - they are part of an 18 Euro sample set of two sticks of each of the 15 scents that Ashok bought. Ashok calls them "Absolute Oud", while Rasbihari calls them "Absolutely Oud". Ashok sells them at 20 grams for 5.45 Euros plus 18 Euros for postage. Rasbihari sells them at 250 grams for $12.50 plus $24 for postage. Doing a conversion, it costs £20.50 for 20gm from Padma, and £27.50 for 250gm from Rasbihari. Buying 250gm from Padma would cost £73. If you want to buy a large amount, it works out cheaper to buy direct from Rasbihari, but if you want to try out a small amount first, then it makes sense to go to Padma Store and get the sample set. Also worth noting is that Padma store has a fixed postage price, while Rasbihari has a sliding scale, so that the more you buy, the more expensive the postage (a rather discouraging approach!).

Rasbihari Lal box of Absolutely Oud

The sticks are machine extruded with no external coating of masala/melnoorva powder, though they have the appearance of being masala. There is a pleasant and attractive sweet musky scent on the stick. The profile suggests that this is a perfume-dipped incense using wood powder rather than charcoal. Some folks are prejudiced against perfume-dipped incense - the superficial masala like appearance of these sticks may go some way to reducing the prejudice of those folks such that they may light up and enjoy without anxiety or guilt. ;-) 

The scent on the burn is very pleasant - warm, sweet, woody and musky. It is a brown, enveloping, seductive scent typical of basic oud perfumes and scents. Clearly synthetic, it works well, but lacks depth and range, and is quite safe or commercial. I like it, and at the price would be happy to get a large stock to burn as an everyday room freshener, though it's not an interesting or evocative scent. It pretty much does what one expects it to do. I'd like to see some contrasts, and some challenges in the profile. But, hey ho, it's very likeable, and very cheap. Good stuff. 

Date: Aug 2025    Score: 40

***

Rasbihari Lal & Sons

Reviewed in Germany

Discussed on Reddit

The best oudh incense

Stamford Vampire's Kiss sticks

  

I reviewed Stamford Vampire's Kiss cones in March 2017 and again in May last year. In 2017 I scored it 34, commenting "sweet yet medicinal with sharp notes, and beneath that is a bed of flower petals", and noting that there were off notes of smouldering sawdust; in May last year I scored it 28 and said: "On the whole a pleasant soft musky incense, though a tad too smoky for comfort in small rooms", and remarked that I felt I had over-scored it in 2017. 

The scent on the stick is very attractive - reasonably heady, which is impressive, as I don't know how long I've had these sticks, but the box is marked Aargee, which broke up in 2020, so they are at least five years old. There's a sweet, musky aroma, slightly sexy and seductive. This is echoed in the scent on the burn, though - as is common with perfumed incense - with less clarity, and with some warm, vaguely smoky notes softening the experience.  I like this, however - even though I tend to prefer sticks over cones, I feel there is a lack of clarity in the burn, so am scoring it slightly less at 26. 

Date: Aug 2025   Score:  26

***

Stamford London

Stamford Demon's Lust sticks

 

I reviewed Stamford Demon's Lust cones in October 2016, and again in May last year. On neither occasion was I impressed, feeling that I was smelling more of the core material than the perfume, and scored both encounters at 19. I do tend to prefer the experience of a stick over the cone. This has a mild somewhat soapy synthetic violet scent on the stick - quite neutral and green.  This is repeated in the burn, which is reasonably crisp, though does have some vague smoke notes. Overall a modest through moderately pleasant everyday room freshener. 

Date: Aug 2025   Score:  23

***

Stamford London

Stamford Violet

 

I reviewed Stamford Violet Incense Cones back in June 2019 when I said: "These are a poor lot. The merest whiff of violets, but mostly the core material - a sort of vague damp sawdust. Not the best. Score: 19". This sample stick is part of a bunch that turned up in my collection - I don't know when they were sent to me, but they are not fresh. However, straight out of the packet this Stamford Violet has a charming scent of sweet violets, very similar to Parma Violets. The scent on the burn has the same character, though milder and somewhat muted, and mixed with vague smoke notes. On the whole, though, a lot better than the cone, albeit an older sample. 

Date: Aug 2025   Score:  25

***

Stamford London

Stamford Red Rose

 

I reviewed Stamford's Red Rose Cones in November 2015 where I said: "modest run-of-the-mill floral-fragranced cones. They burn nicely and are inoffensive, but there's nothing special or interesting or high quality about them. While not special, they serve well to lightly fragrance a room with a floral  bouquet. Score: 23".  

This sample is part of a bunch I found in my collection, but don't recall when I got them. My conclusion is that they are not fresh, however this Red Rose has a pleasant rose scent on the stick. The rose quality is not so apparent on the burn, however it is there, and the general impression is of sweet floral. Quite acceptable. 

Date: Aug 2025   Score: 24

***

Stamford London

Best rose incense

Stamford Relaxing

  

I first reviewed this in September 2013 as part of the Stamford Aromatherapy Collection where I said: "A blend of cardamom, cedarwood and patchouli, intended to soothe away cares, and create a restful home. Quite a lively spicy aroma on the stick - the cardamom coming through clearly. Not sure how relaxing this is. Indeed, not sure how much the aromas relate to the descriptions! The aroma on burning is cedarwood and cardamom, and is pretty decent, creating an awakening mood. Best of the set. Score: 27" 

This sample is, I suspect, not very fresh, though the scent on the stick is reasonably attractive,  leaning more toward floral than spice. The scent on the burn is mild, warm, pleasant, though not distinct. Acceptable as a low level room freshener. 

Date: Aug 2025   Score: 21

***

Stamford London

Stamford Amber

  

I reviewed this as part of the Stamford Exotic Collection back in June 2014, and said: "Heady perfume on the stick. Sweet, floral, citric. Mild scent on burning - slightly soapy with notes of vanilla and sherbet. Score: 21". There is an acidic volatile scent on the stick, and a muffled vague aroma on the burn. Not impressive. I don't know how old these samples are - I can't remember when I got them, but I suspect they are not fresh, and being basic perfume-dipped sticks, the light notes have evaporated. That evaporation is one of the significant downsides to basic perfume-dipped incense. 

Anyway, there is little awareness of amber in these sticks, even when fresh, and when not fresh, they are not much use even as a basic room freshener. 

Date: Aug 2025   Score: 15

***

Stamford London

Amber

Vrindavan Bazaar Mayapur

 

Named after the Krishna pilgrimage town of Mayapur,  this is an attractive floral focused masala incense made somewhere in or around the Krishna pilgrimage town of Vrindavan. I've been enjoying these Vrindavan made incense sticks. They are well made, decent quality, with pleasant scents. And stunningly cheap. This one is warm, mildly sweet, slightly powdery, an attractive balance of wood and floral with touches of that lambs wool scent I associate with halmaddi. It's not a scent that particularly excites or delights, nevertheless it is damned attractive, and is extraordinary value for money. If I wasn't so compelled to go incense hunting, I'd be quite happy to buy huge stocks of varied scents of Vrindavan made incense, and burn them all the time as my everyday incense.  

Available at £1.06 for 20gm from Vrindavan Bazaar. They ship internationally at reasonable rates. 

Date: July 2025   Score: 35

***

   

Vrindavan Bazaar

Vrindavan Bazaar Tulsi

 

It is possible that this is the same stick sold by Gokula as Gokula Connoisseur Tulsi Vrinda. but is also possible that it is not. I certainly am enjoying this a little more than I enjoyed the Gokula, and that could be for a number of reasons - these sticks are fresher, I'm reviewing them in the summer rather than the winter, I'm in more receptive or happier mood, there is a batch variation, or they are made to a different recipe in a different part of the country. Whatever, they are part of the bigger picture of Indian incense being made in an artisan manner, and then rolled out in humble homes by hard working women. It's a complex picture, part romantic, and part concerning. But at the end of the story we come to the burning of the incense. This incense isn't developed for Western homes, it is cheap as chips (cheaper actually) incense made for Indian people living in or visiting the holy city of Vrindavan in the north east of India. Yes, it's a little smoky and simple, but it is also earthy and vibrant. The scent on the stick is fresh, sweet, green, herbaceous, with a touch of wood. The burn scent is not as attractive, but that is quite common and acceptable.  Yes, this is nice, simple, basic, everyday Indian masala incense. 

Available at £1.02 for 20gm from Vrindavan Bazaar. They ship internationally at reasonable rates. 

Date: June 2025   Score: 33

***

   

Vrindavan Bazaar

Tulsi / Basil