Monsoon Incense – Saffron Masala

At the beginning of the year (2024), I received a large package of samples from Eugene Andrushchenko, the owner of the brands Bhagwan and Monsoon Incense. He wrote to me that Saffron Masala is one of the most popular varieties in the Monsoon range.

A pack contains 15g, which is 7 sticks of Saffron Masala. At a price of €2.95, that comes to about €0.42 per stick. They’re relatively thick, extruded sticks, measuring 8″ or 20.5 cm in length.
Due to its popularity, Saffron Masala has also been available under the Bhagwan Incense brand since September ’24, where a pack costs €3.95, or approximately €0.56 per stick. I suspect that Saffron Masala will eventually disappear from the Monsoon Incense line-up.

The raw sticks give off a noticeable, volatile note that reminds me of veterinary clinics. It’s probably the combination of the often iodine-like aroma inherent in saffron incense sticks, along with an alcohol note, like from disinfectants. This is accompanied by earthy-dark, sweet, and spicy-aromatic notes.

When burned, the volatility significantly recedes. It’s similar to Oudh Majestic, in which I also detect a slight alcohol-like scent. I don’t perceive it as a real off-note, but it’s something that strongly defines the scent character of the incense sticks.

When I started using Saffron Masala, I found the scent rather restrained overall, almost weak. Only with repeated use did the saffron character gradually become more pronounced, and I began to notice its specific heat. The iodine-medicinal aspect remains present.
I only perceive a very subtle sweetness, accompanied by a woodiness and warmth that I find very typical of masala. In the after-smell, the spicy aspect of the fragrance becomes more prominent and gains even more warmth.

Mike writes in his review: “This is what I would consider the best saffron scent in incense you could imagine.” – A statement that surprised me a bit, as I perceive the saffron scent in these sticks as rather mild and rounded. However, Mike also mentions that the scent makes him a bit nostalgic because it reminds him of how saffron incense smelled in the ’90s; an experience which we simply don’t share.
My first encounters with the saffron genre were all sticks with a relatively rough character. Saffron fragrance, for me, is characterised by its sharp edges and its often initially unapproachable nature.

A friend of mine, Povilas, bought Saffron Masala; he’s a big saffron fan. He told me he wished the saffron were a bit more prominent in these sticks, but he’s not surprised they’re very popular. They’re inoffensive and well-rounded, but at the cost of the saffron, which feels muted. This aligns closely with my perception.
A while ago, he sent me a sample of a saffron attar (BioEco) that has a pronounced saffron character for both of us. It’s the combination of saffron-typical notes of medicinal iodine, along with a firecracker scent and that unique, hot spiciness; in the attar, it’s underlaid by smooth sandalwood oil.

I find Saffron Masala pleasant and relatively accessible. It has a certain cosiness that saffron incense sticks can convey for me, but something is missing. A certain something that would lend the composition a bit more weight and depth.