Ispalla: GOOD MORNINGS, SWEET DREAMS
I got these two new varieties of Ispalla directly from Ispalla Incense in Peru, you can find the background story in this article.
The new varieties as well as the old ones with revised recipes in new packaging designs have recently been available on the German market. One pack contains 10 sticks. Ephra World has them all in its range for €2.95. I strongly advise against buying the old versions in the black boxes.
The new varieties, which also include Floral Passion, all have the subtitle HERBS – PALO SANTO, they are slightly more complex compositions that break out of the old ‘Palo Santo + X’ concept, which I am pleased with.
GOOD MORNINGS
Ispalla lists the following ingredients: bamboo sticks, palo santo resin, wild herbs, jasmine essential oil, distilled water. In the description text on the back, in addition to jasmine, lemon is also mentioned as a scent.
A little like the colour gradient of the pack, the scent of GOOD MORNINGS also has a shifting spectrum. Where the burning stick is placed, the scent comes across as relatively herbaceous. I smell a clear palo santo note and underneath a few herbal tones that range from tart, almost bitter, to minty fresh. I suspect that one of the herbs included is eucalyptus, and maybe some rue.
The jasmine is clearly noticeable, but far more moderate than in INSPIRATION. Furthermore, I think I can smell some of the lemony freshness. It is a good companion for the sweet jasmine.
The better the smoke can spread, the more the floral character and freshness comes into its own.
For me, GOOD MORNINGS is one of Ispalla‘s most successful compositions and one of my favourites. The first time I tried it, my best friend Max was with me, and when he walked into the room, he took a quick sniff, looked at the package, and said, “This is indeed a good morning scent!” My mother likes them as well.
SWEET DRAMS
Ispalla lists the following ingredients: bamboo sticks, palo santo resin, wild herbs, lavender essential oil, distilled water. In the description text on the back, vanilla is also mentioned as a scent alongside lavender.
I wasn’t particularly impressed with CALM, the variety featuring palo santo and lavender. I definitely find SWEET DREAMS to be more interesting, the scent has a bit more character and complexity. Surprisingly, I find the lavender scent to be somewhat more noticeable in this variety than in CALM. I notice a subtle, powdery softness that I associate with lavender. It comes out more clearly when the smoke is better diluted.
I can’t say that I smell the vanilla mentioned in the description, but there is a sweetness in the scent that doesn’t seem to come from the palo santo alone or any of the herbs.
A certain herbaceous character is also present in SWEET DREAMS, but it appears less defined than in GOOD MORNINGS; I do smell something herbaceous but couldn’t tell what it is.
GOOD MORNINGS is just as successful a composition as SWEET DREAMS, even if it doesn’t suit my personal taste so much. The scent has a pleasant softness and is good for winding down in the evening.
I’m going to have to pick up a box of Ispalla; great review! I think I remember reading about some issues in old batches. I got a sample once, plain palo santo, I think, and really enjoyed it.
It seems there was a transition phase, where they hadn’t had changed the packaging design but already fixed their recipe. So it’s totally possible that you lucked out and got a good one in the black boxes. The problem is, you only know once you lit it. The old ones clearly contain saltpetre, here‘s my video of the old Palo Santo burning. Steve had a similar experience, he also posted a video.
I don’t have any complaints about the new ones. It’s decent Palo Santo incense.
Rough; it looks like a sparkler!
Exactly my thoughts!