Happy Hari – Meena Supreme (and Meena Perfumery – Meena Supreme)
Happy Hari – Meena Supreme
One stick of this variety was part of the Happy Hari sampler from Padma Store, which contains a stick of each of the 13 available varieties (current price €15.95). I also received 2 full packs as a gift from Steve Pereira (here is his review). Thanks again for that! 😀
Last year, he integrated a small shop into his blog, where he sells Meena Supreme for a fantastic £1.67, though limited to one pack per person. At Padma Store, a pack currently costs €4.25. The sticks are only 19cm (~ 7″) long and burn for about 40 minutes.
Happy Hari – Meena Supreme sample from Padma Store.
Meena Supreme is one of those scents for which I can’t decide if I find it rather creamy or powdery. It’s definitely very soft. I find it unobtrusive yet strong in character and presence. For the thickness of the sticks, they produce surprisingly low smoke and are almost subtle in scent, making them pleasant to use indoors. A slightly opened window is enough ventilation for me.
The scent has a floral side that comes out especially well with good air circulation. The room note is primarily soft and aromatic. It has a pleasant sweetness, and sometimes vanilla-y and fruity notes appear. These remind me of dried fruits on one hand and the juicy freshness of loquats on the other. There is also a hint of cinnamon once in a while.
Furthermore, I detect a distinct aspect in this scent that reminds me of shoe polish. I’ve read that some people describe Meena Supreme as having a leather note, and perhaps this is what I mean. It has a somewhat alcoholic top note, slightly pungent, with a mix of rather tart, darker, and balsamic notes. It may sound strange, but the smell is intriguing.
The after-smell is initially spicy and warm, but over time, it becomes creamier, and the association with leather goods increases.
Happy Hari – Meena Supreme, like Nag Champa Gold, has achieved a certain cult status in the incense scene. I can understand the hype to some extent, but I think I lack the emotional connection that surely makes up part of the fascination for many people. They have a beautiful, interesting scent, and I look forward to exploring it further. However, I think I’ll leave the remaining packs on the market for those who are nostalgically attached to them.
Meena Perfumery – Meena Supreme
I bought this box at the end of 2022 from the eBay seller Pilgrims Bazaar for £1.50 (€1.71), from whom I also purchased some Pushkar Temple incense sticks. It seems to have been the last pack of Meena, as they were sold out after that. They were briefly available again for £1.79 (around 40c more), but unfortunately, they are sold out now once more.
A pack contains 8 incense sticks, with a burn time also stated as 40 minutes.
Incidentally, the box also shows the Indian domestic sale price: ₹10.00, which is equivalent to €0.11.
In the incense community, there is a consensus that these incense sticks are the “original” Meena Supreme, which were rebranded and sold at a significantly higher price by Paul Eagle as Happy Hari Incense. Here is a post on Reddit and a review from the Olfactory Rescue Service.
Steve posted his review of Meena Perfumery – Meena Supreme last week. He agrees with those who confirm that Meena Perfumery must be the manufacturer of Happy Hari‘s Meena Supreme.
Disappointingly, I discovered that the incense sticks contained within my pack possess a quite unpleasant, ashy, and smoky odour. The raw scent has a vague similarity to those from Happy Hari but is noticeably weaker and, above all, somewhat musty, as if they had been poorly stored. Visually, they seem fine.
When burning, I rarely catch a whiff of anything I would describe as aroma. If it weren’t for the ashy smell, I wouldn’t even notice an incense stick burning. My friend Silver, who bought some in India, confirmed that she also detects a slightly ashy smell in Meena Supreme. However, it is just a note she doesn’t find disturbing. She also described the scent as sweet, creamy, and pleasant.
Following Steve’s review, we realized that he got his from the same source as I. He bought them after me, from the newer batch that is now gone again.
I am now convinced that the incense sticks from my box must have gone bad.
Conclusion:
For just over €2, I would definitely risk adding another box to an order in case they become available again. Aside from this evidently bad box, I was very satisfied with the seller.
I know of only one other seller here in Germany (and generally in the EU) who sells the Meena Perfumery version. There, a box costs €9.95. If you find it worth the money, you can buy Meena here or rely on Padma Store’s offer. Since the Happy Hari packs contain only 4 sticks, the price is almost the same.
I would like to note that I have heard from multiple sources that Meena Perfumery has closed their company. So, it is likely that sources for their incense will become even rarer. – Rumours, rumours, nothing but rumours. Even a new source for Meena Supreme has emerged: Under the brand name Bhagwan, the original Meena Perfumery – Meena Supreme is being sold. I just burned the first sample. 🙂
Related posts:
Bhagwan – Meena Supreme
Bhagwan Incense / Meena Perfumery – An Insight into the Manufacturing Process