I have a terrible confession to make.  I took a stick of Morning Star Amber out of the package and gave it a cursory sniff and the very first thing that popped into my mind was my grandmothers closet.  I can’t explain random mental associations, but I can attempt to explain my overall impressions of this stick.  Don’t worry, my grandmothers closet smelled positively wonderful.

Amber is a fragrance that I am a bit ambivalent about.  Sometimes you encounter a fabulous version and then sometime later get your olfactory teeth kicked in so to speak.  Thankfully the latter is not the case with this stick.  Never mind my odd association of the unlit stick with my grandmothers closet, the scent is soft, musky, earthy and sensual.  Like most other Morning Star offerings it is a delicate version of the named scent and not an overpowering one.

Once lit, the stick takes on an even more sensual character.  It is no wonder that amber is an ingredient in many upscale perfumes. The scent is warm and inviting and has just enough of a tingle at the back of your nose to keep the scent from becoming unnoticeable after a while.  I think this stick would make a very nice companion to a romantic evening by the way.

Nippon Kodo wisely includes a small, square ceramic burner with each box of Morning Star incense but you would do yourself a favor by placing the stick upright in a small bowl of sand instead.  The ash is as delicate as the scent and since the included burner allows the stick to lean to the side, unless you place a small plate underneath it you are likely to have a small mess.

You can kick off your own romantic interlude here.