Shroff – Orange Blossom (aka Orange Balsam)

I got this generous ‘sample’ sent from my friend Silver, out of India. It was labelled Orange Balsam not Orange Blossom, but it’s the same incense. I had that confirmed by Mohith Shroff, who told me that they had decided to change the name a long while ago. However, for some reason, both names are still in use. I guess many shops simply stuck with the older name.
There are a number of suppliers around the world who stock Shroff incense, but none of them offer their full range. (There are at least 100 different scents.)
In Germany, you can buy Orange Blossom at Padma Store (€7,65 for 50g) and there’s shop called Räucherwelt.ch in Switzerland (selling them as Orange Balsam – CHF5.90 for a pack of 25g); however, they don’t ship international.
I’m not aware of a USA or UK-based seller who stocks this variety, but please leave me a comment in case I missed one.

Orange Balsam was love at the first sniff, and that caught me quite by surprise, as I’m not exactly fond of neroli.
I do get the typical, dry neroli scent in Orange Balsam, but the composition is so soft and sweet that it manages to hold this rather obtrusive note right in front of the brim of becoming bothering, without ever crossing it. The sweetness keeps the neroli from coming across as pungent, giving it a smooth and powdery appearance.
There’s a sparkling in this scent; a tangy, orange or mandarine fruitiness bearing an occasional tart touch which makes the composition lively and engaging. Beyond that, there’s another floral note hidden. Ashok (Padma Store) mentions ylang-ylang in his description, which would fit.
The sweetness connects to all aspects, maybe because all inherit a sweetness of their own, but sometimes it comes to the fore as an almost balsamic scent which adds a friendly warmth.
There’s something delicate about Orange Balsam. The individual aspects appear like silk veils in pastel shades of yellow, orange and apricot floating through the air, creating different hues while dancing in slow-motion.

Someone on Reddit once described Orange Balsam as a “floral incense for lovers and haters of floral incense alike“ and I can’t agree more.
The balance is just right. The individual aspects underline and compliment one another while still leaving enough room to unfold. I adore this scent.