Ispalla – Palo Santo & Rosemary PROTECTION

I got these incense sticks directly from Ispalla Incense out of Peru, you can find the backstory in this article.
My review explicitly refers to this new version, in a new packaging design. I can’t say how they differ from the old ones. The new ones are currently not available on the European market, but that’s sure to change soon.
The burning time is approximately 50 minutes.

Ingredients: Bamboo sticks, Palo Santo powder, Palo Santo resin, powdered rosemary leaves, distilled water.

To be honest, I didn’t expect much from the Palo Santo & Rosemary variety. Rosemary, like many herbs, isn’t an easy incense ingredient. Quickly, it just smells burnt, without any real aroma.
Indeed, the initial scent upon lighting the stick is exactly that: a faint smell of burning herbs, vaguely reminiscent of cannabis. However, this dissipates after a few moments as the smoke spreads in the room. The aroma opens up, and I must say that rosemary complements Palo Santo quite well. The herbaceous-fresh, aromatic rosemary takes away some of the sweetness from the Palo Santo but, in combination, becomes even more balsamic.
Rosemary dominates the composition in terms of smell. The impression of burning herbs never completely disappears, but that’s a clear sign that actual rosemary was used and not just its essential oil. The incense sticks burn pleasantly slowly, and I don’t find them too smoky or potent to use indoors with slightly opened windows.

I’m amazed at how much I like this scent. It’s certainly not something I often crave, but it’s good, and I like its grounding, invigorating, and cleansing character. I think anyone who enjoys authentic herbal scents (and Palo Santo) will find enjoyment in Palo Santo & Rosemary.