Koya’s – Heavenwood

Steve from Incense in The Wind sent me this sample stick when we had our incense exchange. Heavenwood is one of his absolute favourites. Here’s his review from late 2021, which means the sample is now around three years old.
Steve received the sticks as samples from Koya’s. On their website, a 100g pack costs approximately €2.50 (₹225). The sticks are 9″ long and burn for about 60 minutes.

It’s interesting that Koya’s describes Heavenwood’s scent as mossy, sharp, and masculine, among other notes; I didn’t pick up on any of these, though I can at least to some degree grasp what they mean by “masculine”.

Heavenwood has a distinctly woody element framed by various other notes. I perceive the scent as powdery but also balsamic. Its softness has multiple facets, making it feel like a luxurious, velvety soft carpet.
The sweetness is lush and heavy, like forest honey, blending with some spicy-aromatic and slightly tart notes, which come together to evoke a range of associations: pipe tobacco, dried fruits, gingerbread, crème brûlée, as well as (good) bakhoor and attar. The fragrance is rich, but not cloying.
I notice subtle parallels to oud-themed incense sticks, especially Manmohak Oud; however, the two are style-wise quite different. Manmohak has a certain raw, rustic character (though not in a negative sense), whereas Heavenwood comes across as elegant and luxurious.

Heavenwood has a layered, smooth fragrance. I suspect it will appeal to most people who enjoy deep and sweet scents.