Types of  Incense

Incenses from India ("agarbatties") represent literally thousands of different ingredients and compounds. They usually contain liquid perfumes as well as solid base ingredients such as sandalwood powder, charcoal and a resin known as "jigit". 

Any such incense can be expected to have 50 or more ingredients. As a result, the variety of incense from India is quite vast. Described below are five processes which encompass all varieties of stick incense from India. Each type is prefaced with a word that denotes the basic nature of each incense. While some incenses don't fall exactly into any one category, these descriptions are helpful, particularly once you have tried a given type.

MASALA is the Indian word for a blend of spices and/or herbs, such as those used in making curries or other food dishes. Masala incenses are made by blending a number of solid ingredients into a paste which is then rolled onto a bamboo core stick. Masalas usually do not contain liquid perfumes, which can evaporate. 

CHARCOAL is integral in the manufacturing of a blank stick, which is then dipped into a mixture of perfumes and essential oils. Charcoal blanks usually contain sandalwood powder, a resin and possibly other substances. Most "charcoal" incenses are black or near-black in colour and are distinctive because they are rich in fine liquid perfumes. 

DURBARS (and Champas) are wet-process incenses which frequently contain ingredients entirely unfamiliar in the West. They are usually very slow burning and quite sweet and spicy in bouquet. They can amalgamate solid and liquid perfumes in a gummy base which never quite dries, making the sticks themselves soft to the touch. All are highly fragranced. 

COMBINATION incenses are those which have the qualities of both the Masala and the Charcoal. It is possible to make a Masala incense and then dip it into liquid perfumes, producing a very colourful and rich bouquet. These incenses usually have a great deal of depth and leave a lingering after-fragrance, once burned. 

WOOD BASE incenses, including many Ambers, contain little more than powdered or shaved wood plus a resinous or solid perfume. They are really Masalas, but since the woodiness is so distinct in most cases, it is best to put them into a separate category.

INCENSE CONES are made from the same ingredients as incense sticks but are pressed or formed into cones instead of being coated onto a bamboo stick for burning.  Some customers prefer cones because they burn away nearly completely, leaving only a fine ash. As opposed to stick incense which will leave ash as well as a short segment of the bamboo stick.  Most people find cones to be more convenient and slightly less messy than stick incense.

Cone incense can have a more "pure" aroma as opposed to stick incense as the scent of burning bamboo, however slight, is not added to the scent of a cone while burning.

DHOOPS are a sub-group of the "Masala" group of incenses. Dhoops are extruded incenses and have a high concentration of perfume oils or other aroma ingredients which causes them to be quite strong when burned.  

Dhoop sticks are not available in as many scents as cones or sticks.  Arguably because they are not as popular as either.  If you are looking for strong incense with a larger than average volume of smoke, look no further than dhoop style incense.