Bhagwan – Patchouli Queen

This is one of the packs that Eugene from Bhagwan Incense sent me as samples in mid-2024.

A 15g box costs 4.95€ and should contain about 5 sticks. That gives a unit price of about 0,99€. The sticks are 9″ (about 23cm) long.
As with most of their varieties, Bhagwan Incense lists a burning time of 40–45 minutes per stick.

Patchouli Queen aren’t just hefty looking incense sticks, the fragrance is also exceedingly dense and heavy. At the same time, the oil-heavy character of the sticks and minty freshness of the patchouli oil gives the fragrance an almost heady quality.

However, the smell also has a good portion of the earthy-musty aspect typical for patchouli, which makes up a good part of the depth of the composition.
Besides that, I notice a heavy, rather moderately sweet balsaminess and a hint of the cinnamon-like spicy smell that I keep on finding in some patchouli incense varieties.
In too high a concentration, a slightly odd resinous-oily note appears, almost turpentine-like, that reminds me a bit of OSMO Hartwachs-Öl (brilliant stuff, by the way).

I like Patchouli Queen best outdoors in the fresh air. There the fragrance can really open up and the patchouli unfold its full character.
Indoors, even with windows and doors wide open, I can’t shake the feeling that the density of the base gets a little in the way of the fragrance most of the time.
Nevertheless, I find the after-smell quite attractive again.

Patchouli Queen are quite alright; they’re solid patchouli incense sticks. Personally, though, the fragrance is simply a bit too hefty and dominant for me. However, for some people exactly that will be the special appeal. 😉