Happy Hari – Oudh Masala
This incense stick is part of the Happy Hari Sampler Set, which I bought from Padma Store in March 2022. The set contains only one stick per variety (13 in total) and cost €14.95 at that time (it has since gone up by €1). A single pack of 10g currently costs €6.45, having undergone two price increases since March. The burning time per stick is indicated as 70 minutes.
Oudh Masala is simply delicious. The scent is rich, profound, dense, and strong, yet very soft and caressing. It has a strong balsamic aspect. Its subtle sweetness reminds me of honey, or perhaps rather of beeswax. In combination with its deep, spicy-aromatic, slightly musk-like oudh profile, this scent makes me think of a waxed cowhide I bought years ago at a renaissance fair.
The balsamic and spicy elements of the scent conjure a cosy warmth while simultaneously presenting a cool, refreshing note. It feels like letting your fingers glide through a soft, smooth fur.
The intensity of Oudh Masala fills the room, but never becomes overwhelming. Even a few centimetres are enough to sufficiently scent a room for a long time. So you can split one stick over several uses.
In the after-smell, the cooler aspect remains, and I also detect a trace of spicy musk.
I really wouldn’t know what could be improved about Oudh Masala.
Note on the name: The sample says “Oud Masala”, but on the original packages and in the Padma Store, it is written as “Oudh”.
Steve left a comment on the German version of this review (before I came around translating it), informing me that there’ve been both name variants around, of which he suspects that “Oudh Masala” is the older version.
2024-03-17 Update:
I ordered three packs of Oudh Masala from the Padma Store and unfortunately found that these smell very different from the sample. They have a noticeable (though not necessarily bad) men’s perfume scent and seem significantly less complex. When I bought them, I assumed that both came from the same batch. I can’t explain the difference at the moment, but I will investigate. Until I know more, I can only emphasize that this review exclusively applies to the sample stick; the Oudh Masala from the 10g packs would receive a much lower rating from me.
2024-06-19 Update:
Ashok told me that, with his initial order, he did not receive the full amount, but later got a subsequent delivery for this incense. He also does not have a real explanation why the sample smells so different from the packs, he was convinced they must be the same batch.
I will write a separate review and link it here.