Vinasons – Kesar Gulab

This sample was gifted to me by Ashok from Padma Store.
A pack currently costs €6.85 and contains 20g. The burning duration is listed as 60 minutes.

I first encountered Kesar Gulab [Saffron Rose] several years ago (before starting my blog) when an acquaintance sent me a sample as part of my first incense exchange.
I vividly remember being overwhelmed by the intensity of the scent. My initial note read: “It’s like being drowned in high-quality rose water.”
I promptly relegated the second sample I got to the beginnings of what became my sample archive. In late 2023, I randomly received another stick with an order from Padma Store and also archived it immediately.
I finally revisited them when I started exploring the Kesar/Saffron genre (and some rose incenses) in late 2024. I was curious to see whether my perception of this fragrance had changed over time…

Aside from the fact that I no longer find Kesar Gulab overwhelmingly intense, the first thing I notice is that I can now detect the saffron note.
The differently aged samples smell remarkably similar. The only distinction is that I occasionally catch a whiff of sandalwood oil in the younger stick from Padma Store.
The rose scent is truly intense, but I’ve grown to like it. Compared to other rose scents I’ve encountered in the past year, Kesar Gulab has actually become one of my favourites — a statement I never thought I’d make.
The bouquet is rosy, soft, and sweet, but not cloying, likely due to the saffron, whose unique spiciness seems to ground the heady rose fragrance.
Ashok from Padma Store describes Kesar Gulab as an “intriguing, sparkling-sweet rose scent.” Especially when the smoke mingles with the cool outdoor air coming in from the window, I can see what he means. Between the subtly applied, tingling saffron heat and the silky softness of the fragrance, a sparkling tone emerges, giving this rose scent a touch of fruitiness.

Rose lovers should definitely give Kesar Gulab a try.