Today I am going to be reviewing Shoyeido Refinement incense sticks.
Table of Contents
The product description says:
The aromatic spectacle of agarwood-suffused Japanese incense is on full display with Shoyeido’s sumptuous Refinement premium incense blend.
The main scents are listed as agarwood, cinnamon, clove, however, it’s important to note that this is a green incense stick and obviously has some sort of plant material in it as well.
Refinement Review
This is a very smooth smelling incense. The deep blending of cinnamon and clove balances out the bitter notes of the aloeswood. The quality of the aloeswood in this incense is very high. It’s not by any means kyara, but it is a quality aloeswood, which smells delightful, however the included spices seem to soften the characteristic bitterness of the aloeswood.
I believe the green addition to be primarily spikenard. Spikenard is an interesting scent, which is popular in Asian countries, but not used much in the west. It has a earthy and musky scent, with some grassy overtones.
A faint hint of camphor seems to play hide and seek with the scent. It’s almost hard to detect, but is a pleasant addition. It makes the fragrance seem slightly clearing to the sinuses, which makes the practice of burning incense that much more enjoyable.
This is a lovely aloeswood incense, but of course, it comes at a cost. These cost about $300 a pack from Shoyeido USA, but you can obtain them a little cheaper if you order them from direct from Japan. However, this is something worth considering if you would like to experience of the highest quality Japanese incense sticks on the market.
Conclusion
I would rate these a 9/10. These are excellent incense sticks, with a wonderful quality of agarwood. The spices contribute an inherent smoothness, while the spikenard and camphor add some complex elements to the fragrance profile. I can’t see anybody not liking this.
However, it’s not quite as deep or rich as their kyara varieties such as Translucent Path.
I hope you found this information beneficial.
