Anima – Loban

I found this pack on Kleinanzeigen. In Germany, only Jeomra’s Räucherwelt seems to sell this brand (€3.90).
The company that distributes Anima is based in Italy; I couldn’t find out who actually produces the sticks.

In Jeomra’s description, you find the information that the sticks burn for approximately 45 minutes and contain ‘coconut shell powder, joss powder, halmaddi, honey, loban powder and loban resinoid’.

What exactly is meant by “loban resinoid” is unclear, as the term “loban” cannot be unambiguously attributed to the resin of a specific plant. The term used in India is derived from the Arabic “Al-Luban”, which means frankincense, but is often used for benzoin (also “gum benjamin”) as well; additionally it can refer to resin mixtures that also come to market as “sambrani” or “block benzoin”. The latter is how I usually understand this term.

These Loban sticks correspond very much to what I’d expected. It’s quite a sweet, balsamic scent that suggests the use of a benzoin resin. However, I also smell a very restrained, resinous note in the background.
What makes the scent more interesting and sets it apart from other “loban” or “sambrani” scents is a powdery aspect that gives the fragrance a special softness. Furthermore, I find a slightly floral note that comes out most beautifully in the after-smell.

Loban don’t have, by and large, a special or exceptionally good scent, but they’re a solid contribution to the genre. Their scent is pleasant, soft and sweet; it’s a simple pleasure.