Bhagwan – Vanilla Joy vs. Shroff – Vanilla Balsam
One of my incense friends is currently jumped into a huge vanilla-rabbit hole, which prompted me to dig out the two vanilla varieties in my current stash.
Bhagwan – Vanilla Joy
Vanilla Joy is one of the new varieties in the Bhagwan range. I received the sticks from Eugene as a sample. Based on the weight of my sample, a full 15g pack should contain 7 sticks. A pack costs €3.95 – €0.56 per stick, with a burning time of 40 – 45 minutes. They are 8″ (approx. 20.5 cm) long.
The raw smell reminds me of waffles with lemon cream filling or Madeleines; sweet treats with a lemon flavour that are extremely sugary and have a vanilla aroma.
When lit, it no longer has any resemblance to lemon for me, but there is still an indistinct fruity note, paired with a subtle, soft woodiness.
As far as the vanilla is concerned, I don’t find the smell very authentic, but also not unpleasant. It is the type of vanilla scent that is recognised as vanilla because vanilla aromas are so ubiquitous, but it has nothing to do with the actual smell of real vanilla pods.
At times, the scent of Vanilla Joy also reminds me of sunscreen or other cosmetic products that tend to come with a vanilla scent. In the after-smell, the fruitiness gradually fades, with the vanilla aroma remaining, lasting for several hours.
The scent is sweet and friendly, I don’t smell any off-notes, neither when burning nor in the after-smell. However, Vanilla Joy doesn’t leave me craving more.
Here‘s Steve’s review on Incense in The Wind.
Shroff – Vanilla Balsam
Vanilla Balsam sticks are 9″ (approx. 23 cm) long. I received a single sample stick from Ashok, the owner of Padma Store, who sells them at 50g for €8.95. I estimate that a pack like this should contain approx. 22 sticks (approx. €0.41/stick). The burning time is stated as 90 minutes.
Besides Padma Store, Indiaroma also stocks them.
Later, my friend Silver sent me the pack shown above from India. I assume they are from the same batch.
Unlit, these sticks remind me of bubblegum, sweet and indefinably fruity.
When lit, it no longer smells so much like bubblegum, but still quite fruity. There might be a hint of vanilla hidden somewhere, but I can’t quite find it. However, I keep associating the scent with vanilla flavoured pipe tobacco. There is no actual tobacco note in it; it is probably the general masala character that creates this association. Somewhere in the background, I pick up a subtle note that reminds me a bit of rubber.
In summary, I would describe the scent of Vanilla Balsam as a blend of very mild vanilla flavoured tobacco and the fruitiness of chewy candies like MAOAM. It’s not bad, but like Vanilla Joy, not to my taste.
Silver told me that when the sticks were fresh, they smelled much more like vanilla to her than now. She agrees with me on the fruitiness of the scent and can relate to my bubblegum comparison.
The sample from Ashok seems a bit less fruity to me, especially in the raw smell. The scent when burning, however, is almost identical.
Vanilla Joy and Vanilla Balsam are quite similar in some ways, but still not the same.
In direct comparison, Vanilla Joy‘s cosmetic character comes through a bit stronger, making the scent seem slightly lighter and fresher. Additionally, I perceive the soft, woody note more pronounced. In contrast, I find Vanilla Balsam more sparkling-fruity and lively. I think Vanilla Joy conveys the idea of vanilla a bit better, albeit not very true to nature; Vanilla Balsam has a bit more volume for me, but still doesn’t hit the mark.