Recently got the new Awaji Baikundo sampler from Essence of the Ages. This company's schtick seems to be (at least in most of the scents available in the US) basing their scents around hydrangea tea. My overall impression is kind of mixed - I really liked Wabi-Sabi and Nyuwa, but the other three I was kind of ambivalent about.

The interesting thing about them to me is, while most Japanese incenses give me very organic sensory impressions (wood, flowers, that sort of thing,) these, on the whole, give me an impression of a large, smooth glass building with no edges, only curves. Sort of inorganic and flat (but that's not to say without personality). Even the Kunmeidos, which give me a sense of cool steel, also leave the impression of the ocean and storms and fish scales, so I find this kind of strange.

My notes (with descriptions provided by EotA in italics) -

Wabi Sabi: Wabi-Sabi is one of the very few Japanese incenses to combine the ingredients of Reiryo-koh and Kansho (Spikenard).

The cheapest one (going by price-per-stick) in the Awaji Baikundo line, and I don't think it has any hydrangea tea in it. This one is great, stimulating yet soothing. I can see why some people say it smells like coffee. I don't think it's supposed to be coffee scented, or at least, the description mentions nothing about coffee - but wow, it really smells a lot like coffee. I recognize both the smell of the rei-ryo root (it's in all the Kunmeidos) and the spikenard (that woody, caramel-like scent) in this, but they combine to make a rich, bittersweet scent that's remarkably similiar to a caramel-flavored coffee, but less sweet and with a very fresh undercurrent.

I don't know if the resemblance to coffee is intentional or not, but I'm sure coffee lovers should like this one. It's also a scent that hangs around for an hour or two after burning. Very nice.


Nyuwa: A blend of hydrangea tea, sandalwood, cinnamon and borneo camphor.

I really like this one - it's a very soft, sweet sandalwood, and combined with the hydrangea tea scent and a fairly strong dash of camphor, it's very cool and refreshing. The only drawback is that it's subtle enough that I have trouble smelling it clearly unless my nose is completely clear. On the upside, like many scents with a lot of camphor in them, it's very gentle to my nose, so I don't have to worry too much that it'll set me off if I burn it at the wrong time.


Shoujou: An absolutely beautifully scented incense, sweet and rich!

This one is pleasant enough, but not really my thing - too floral and feminine. The description provided by EotA is very non-specific, and I can't really identify what's in it besides a vague background of sandalwood and that fresh note that's in all of these, which I assume is the hydrangea tea. The rest of it is just this swirling floral girliness. It's certainly not unpleasant, cloying or heavy - it's feather-light and completely unoffensive, actually - but it leaves me unmoved. Probably floral lovers will like this.


Jihi: An incredible blend of hydrangea tea, amber, and spices.

Reminds me strongly of Shoyeido's Joy from their Angelic series, but significantly earthier and made of higher-quality ingredients. It's got that same vanilla/tea-leaf effect going on. Very benzoin-heavy, I'm thinking; that play-doh/syrupy sweet vanilla scent dominates here. It's actually too much vanilla for my tastes - I'm kind of iffy on vanilla.


Byakudan: A heavenly blend of hydrangea tea, sandalwood, and Chinese spices!

I find this to be very similar to Jihi, which is surprising, since considering the name, I expected it to be very sandalwood-dominant. Instead it's very perfumed-smelling, with those same vanilla notes that Jihi has, but with less of an amber/earthy scent. It's less perfumed and more sandalwood-y than Jihi, but still pretty perfumed, and still too vanilla-heavy for my tastes. Not my thing.