Darshan – Gokula Flora
A pack of 14 of these rather thick incense sticks costs €1.95 at Ephra World. They have a standard length of 8 inches (about 20.5 cm), and the contents of my pack weighed 19 grams. The burning time is indicated as 35–45 minutes. I bought them because they were repeatedly mentioned positively on Reddit.
The back of the pack lists some ingredients: honey, benzoin, camphor, halmaddi, etc.;
Ephra also mentions guggul. Additionally, the pack refers to “modern perfumery ingredients” – a euphemistic description for synthetic fragrances.
To me, Gokula Flora are very similar to Nag Champa incense sticks. They are not quite as floral as a classic Nag Champa, but there is a (probably synthetic and unidentifiable) floral note present. However, what is very strongly represented in them, is the typically creamy aspect of the Nag Champa genre, and this takes the lead in Gokula Flora.
The scent also reminds me of bitter almonds or marzipan. It is sweet, but not cloying. There’s also a distinct waxy note, which might come from the halmaddi and is also found in some Nag Champa incenses.
I don’t smell any camphor. Either there is very little of it, or it has evaporated.
Occasionally, when the scent builds up too much, I find another specific note that I recognize from a couple of other Nag Champas: a diesel-like smell, which in dilution breaks down to a sharp, fruity note. With proper ventilation or outdoors, this should not appear.
Gokula Flora is interesting for all Nag Champa lovers, especially those who appreciate the sweet, creamy character of many incense sticks of that genre.
