HUSS – No 1 – Fichte/Kiefer (Spruce/Pine)
I’d wanted to try this kind of incense sticks by HUSS for a long time, since they’re unusual, even quirky (HUSS themselves call them “The Others”). Though, they’re not exactly cheap either, at just over €20.
This pack, which I found on Kleinanzeigen, is an older packaging version that was discontinued in 2024, but is still sold in some shops. It has a sturdy porcelain lid that serves as a holder for the sticks.
These packs contain 8 of the 8mm-thick, roughly 24cm-long sticks; they burn for about an hour.
The pack is quite a bit longer than the sticks and is lined at the bottom with wood wool to protect them.
Newer packs have a cardboard lid. They’re available as a normal pack with a simple tin holder (8 sticks) and as a refill pack with 12 sticks, both for €21.
The sticks are made of finely ground charcoal.
They come in 5 fragrances: Lavender, Frankincense, Citrus, Sandalwood and Fichte/Kiefer (spruce/pine).
The variety’s name isn’t noted on the packs. The only distinguishing feature is an inconspicuous barcode on the adhesive seal that holds the lid on the tube. The number for Fichte/Kiefer is 4019526106031.
The ceramic holder in action.
At 37g, it’s heavy enough to securely hold the thick, long sticks.
If you want to burn a shorter piece, a common holder for Indian dhoops will do the job as well.
The ember on these incense sticks gets absurdly long: a full 3.5cm!
The charcoal sticks light relatively easily with a lighter. It’s enough for one edge of the top rim to catch ember to get them going.
They give off little to no smoke, and I only notice a minimal charcoal note when standing right next to them.
The smell of the sticks is fairly sweet. Essentially, they only smell of benzoin to me, perhaps mixed with a minimal resinous touch.
With the cones I could at least make out a hint of conifer smell. With these sticks, the oils seem to have already fully evaporated.
The smell isn’t unpleasant, though. It’s simply a plain, not-too-strong benzoin scent that fills the room without overwhelming it.
