Pushkar Temple: Sandal Super and Sandal Woods
These are 50g bundles of Pushkar Temple, which I bought at the end of 2023 from someone on Kleinanzeigen who had brought them back home from India.
Mike (from the Olfactory Rescue Service) is quite enthusiastic about the brand, but there wasn’t much excitement for the two sandalwood varieties. Here’s his review.
I found both to be significantly less potent compared to the other scents, more on the level of most broadly available Masala sticks. Although I didn’t find them too strong for indoor use, they did seem a bit smoky and stuffy to me. That’s why I set them aside, like the others, for the upcoming summer to use them outside on the balcony.
In both cases, I liked the scent better then, than during my first attempt in the autumn.
Sandal Super
Indoors: The first few notes of Sandal Super don’t remind me much of sandalwood. It’s an oily and at the same time dry scent, sweetish, slightly woody, and with an underlying bitter note that reminds me of rubber seals.
Once the smoke has dispersed a bit, the scent becomes a little sweeter and takes on a quality that’s commonly described as buttery. Unfortunately, the bitter off-note remains present throughout.
Outdoors: I don’t pick up on the bitter rubber smell. The buttery and woody aspects of the scent are somewhat clearer, and the smell seems vaguely earthy-musky, bearing some resemblance to Goloka – Sandalwood out of the Organica line. However, I wasn’t able to compare them directly, as I’ve already used those up. Based on my memory, I found Goloka to be quite a bit better.
Sandal Woods
Indoors: These sticks are sweeter than Sandal Super, with a slightly pollen-like quality. The scent is very creamy, which makes it a bit more opulent. Depending on the concentration, though, the scent can also come across as powdery and a bit dry.
Only over time does a note build up that I can associate with sandalwood, but this impression isn’t particularly strong either.
Sandal Woods don’t have any bitterness, but I do find a slightly tart note that strangely reminds me of sunscreen. Occasionally, a burnt note also wafts through.
Outdoors: The impression is quite similar, although the balance between pleasant and more bothersome notes leans more positive in the fresh air.
I’ve shared samples of both with friends and acquaintances but haven’t received any feedback yet. I might add a small update later, or perhaps one of them will feel like leaving a comment.
Reading Mike’s reviews, it’s interesting that his perception of the two varieties is exactly the reverse of mine; if you swapped the names, they’d actually match quite well.
Conclusion:
When compared directly, I no longer perceive Super Sandal as buttery. They’re noticeably more tart than Sandal Woods, darker and heavier. Of the two, I definitely prefer Sandal Woods, but I’m not thrilled with either of them.
I wouldn’t buy them again and have passed both on by now.