Vinasons: Special Sandalwood, Wild Sandal
I received these two Vinasons samples as well from Ashok Kapur, of Padma Store. Previously, though, I’d already had some sent by an acquaintance (who again bought them from Padma Store).
Special Sandalwood
A 20g packet of the 8″ (~ 20.5cm) long sticks costs €6.25; the burning time is given as approx. 60 minutes. These are Dry Masala.
With Special Sandalwood I’m a little torn. On one hand, I find that they have a pleasant, soft and relatively natural-feeling sandalwood fragrance profile; creamy and with slight sweetness. On the other hand, I frequently notice an ashy note in the smell that bothers me.
When I go through my older notes, I notice that I initially found the sticks hardly sweet, rather tart and above all smoky. I sometimes compared them to beech wood smoke. This suggests that it can take a few attempts to warm to Special Sandalwood.
I definitely like them better now than at the beginning, nevertheless I can’t quite get over the ash smell and would therefore prefer other Dry Masala, e.g. from Shroff.
There’s a review of Special Sandalwood by Steve on Incense in The Wind.
Wild Sandal
A 20g packet costs €6.25; the burning time is given as approx. 45 minutes. The sticks have an unusual measurement at 19.5cm; about 1cm shorter than the standard 8″.
Furthermore, I don’t consider them Dry Masala, since the paste is rather tough then hard and crumbly. On the inside, they’re dark, almost black, whereas Special Sandalwood look the same inside as outside.
Wild Sandal have quite a different character from Special Sandalwood. Their scent profile proves clearly to be a blend. The fragrance feels full and robust, albeit of moderate strength.
I perceive a resinous smell that’s not fresh, coniferous or woody, but deep, rather tart and almost earthy, with a suggestion of acidity. Perhaps some damar batu is part of the recipe.
Above this hovers a creamy-sweet complex of soft sandalwood and a kind of marzipan-like bitter almond scent that complements the deeper notes wonderfully; the fragrance seems overall very full and round.
Wild Sandal are probably nothing for sandalwood purists and lovers of the authentic wood smell, but they’re delicious sandalwood-genre sticks with an individual character.