Temple Of Incense – Festive Kiss (Christmas Edition)

This is one of the samples that Sascha (owner of Indiaroma.de) sent me from his private collection at the end of 2023. (Purely by chance, almost all can be found in his shop as well.) Among them are quite a number of Temple Of Incense sticks and other excitements.
Since Festive Kiss is a special edition scent for Christmas, I thought now would be a good time to try them.

The listed scent notes are: pine, cinnamon, orange, bergamot, bayberry

Festive Kiss seems like an incense stick predominantly based on coal in the Masala style, heavily reliant on oils. The scent is relatively clear and potent, but not too strong. However, I feel that the scent benefits from being given a bit more space and fresh air to unfold.
I find the scent extremely fitting for the theme. My nose wants to smell cloves, and I could have sworn they were mentioned in the list above, but no. However, I am not familiar with the smell of bayberry. The German translation ‘Lorbeere’ leads to the assumption that it is berries from the bay tree. In fact, meant is North American bayberry from the genus Myrica. (Thanks to Simi of Temple Of Incense for the kind information!) Perhaps this is what adds in this spicy and slightly tart note.
Cinnamon essential oil can also smell a bit like cloves, maybe that’s why I can’t really find the cinnamon in this scent.
Besides this spiciness, the scent of orange is very present and, for me, provides a major part of the Christmas atmosphere that Festive Kiss evokes.
Sometimes I catch a bit of pine scent, definitely an oil and not resin or wood because it is the green smell of the needles that I perceive. Subtle enough not to smell like grandma’s pine bath.
I don’t know where the bergamot is hiding, but it can gladly stay there, such potent citrus scents quickly become too obtrusive for me.

Usually, I’m very sceptical about seasonal scents, especially around Christmas, when all sorts of things suddenly come with aromas like ‘baked apple with cinnamon’. But I do like Festive Kiss. The composition is well-balanced for me. It is a rounded, pleasant scent that actually manages to put me, a Christmas grouch, in a cheerful, slightly festive mood and that means something.

So, you Christmas elves out there – here is the right scent for you!