Sandalwood Incense
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| | What is Sandalwood?
Sandalwood is the name of a class of woods from trees in the genus Santalum. The woods are heavy, yellow, fine-grained and naturally aromatic. As an Incense ingredient, oil is extracted from powered wood using steam and a distillation device. Sandalwood trees are usually harvested by removing the entire tree, instead of sawing it down at the trunk close to ground level. This way, wood from the stump and root (which possess high levels of sandalwood oil) can also be processed and used - making it a very efficient and effective use of the raw material. |
What is Sandalwood oil good for?
Sandalwood oil is often used as the singular ingredient in Incense, producing mild, warm and woody aromas; which themselves vary according to the quantity and quality of the source essential oil. It really comes into its own as a flexible base for blended recipes when used with Floral and Citrus ingredients. The very popular group of 'Floral Woody' Incenses are almost always built upon a Sandalwood base.
Words frequently used to describe Sandalwood based Incenses include:
Soft, Smooth, Creamy, Light, Cool, Delicate, Graceful, Woody, Warm, Relaxing and (sometimes) Sweet | | 
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| | Vectis Karma stocks approx. 400 different Incense products - mostly Japanese, but also a selection from Tibet, Nepal, China and India. Sandalwood features as an ingredient in the majority of these, to one degree or another. Sometimes on its own, more often as a significant base to other ingredients.
Below are a number of Sandalwood Incense recommendations, based on source (country/manufacturer) and the quantity/quality of the Sandalwood used.
Primarily Japanese Incense - but Vectis Karma now holds a good stock of high-quality incense from Indian too, which feature towards the end of this article.
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Japanese Incense:
'Pure' or 'Singular Fragrance' Sandalwood Incense - where this is the only aromatic ingredient
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Japanese Incense:
Blended Incense - where Sandalwood is a significant ingredient
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Japanese Incense:
Alongside Sandalwood as a primary woody ingredient for Incense there is also Aloeswood. These two woody ingredients are very different - with Aloeswood being spicy, heavy, dark and rich (compare these to the adjectives used for Sandalwood above). There are a few Japanese Incense products that blend both Sandalwood and Aloeswood together - creating some rare and special aromas. Here are a few recommendations, all from Baieido:
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Japanese Incense from Les Encense du Monde: 4 Long, Temple grade Japanese Incense Sticks that feature Sandalwood:
- Celestial Nave - Sandalwood, Aloeswood, Cloves, Patchouli, Spikenard & Camphor - 55 Long Stick £19.99
- Imperial Family - Sandalwood, Cloves, Rhubarb, Spikenard, Patchouli and Camphor - 90 Long Sticks £19.99
- Forest of Flowers - Sandalwood, Daphne Wood & Cinnamon - 25 Long Sticks £45.00
- Golden Wave - Sandalwood, Vegetable Musk and Aloeswood - 29 Long Sticks £99.99
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We stock a range of Japanese Incense called Koh-Do - boxes of 20 Sticks for £3.75, each related to a much larger box of the same incense. This allows customers to try a new fragrance before making a commitment to purchasing a larger box. These larger boxes are higher in price, but offer a lower per stick cost. Much care has been placed in the design of the Koh-Do boxes – all based on Japanese masterpieces. You can view the full Koh-Do range Here.
This echoes the importance the Japanese place on incense burning or ‘listening to incense’. Koh-Do is considered to be one of the ‘Geido’ or Fine Arts in Japanese culture, along with ‘Ikebana’ (flower arranging), ‘Shodo’(Japanese calligraphy), ‘Sado’ (Japanese Tea ceremony), ‘Yakimono’ (Japanese pottery) and ‘Noh’ (traditional Japanese theatre).
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Large Box Item: |
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Japanese Incense | Koh-Do | Autumn (Sandalwood/Herbs) | 20 Stick box | £3.75
An exotic and provocative aroma that evokes a walk by a forest of golden leaves about to fall with the first winds of the Autumn season. This incense provides top notes of Sandalwood with additional bottom notes from Chinese Herbs. | | 
| | Japanese Incense Sticks | Nippon Kodo | Eiju Eternal Happiness | 430 sticks | £27.99
This box contains 430 of the same sticks as Koh-Do Autumn on the left.
This box costs £27.99 - which is approx. 6 pence per stick |
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Japanese Incense | Koh-Do | Dojo (Floral Sandalwood) | 20 stick box | £3.75
This is an extraordinary incense. Cherry Blossom fragrance is the top note, built upon a Sandalwood base (hence Floral Sandalwood). In addition, this complex blend also includes the floral notes of Lily, Rose and Jasmine. | | 
| | Japanese Incense Sticks | Nippon Kodo | Tokusen Sakura Usazumi | 380 Sticks boxed | £27.99
This box contains 380 of the same sticks as Koh-Do Dojo on the left.
This box costs £27.99 - which is approx. 7.4 pence per stick
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Japanese Incense | Koh-Do | Fresh Sandalwood | 20 stick box | £3.75
This Incense has Sandalwood top notes, with background notes of Pine Needles. The Sandalwood tree is sacred to Buddhists and other Eastern religions. The perfume given off by its aromatic wood has the virtue of relaxing the body and calming down the mind. | | 
| | Japanese Incense Sticks | Nippon Kodo | Mainichikoh Sandalwood | 300 Stick Box | £15.99 This box contains 360 of the same sticks as Koh-Do Fresh Sandalwood on the left.
This box costs £15.99 - which is approx. 4.4 pence per stick
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Japanese Incense | Koh-Do | Kyoto (Floral Wood & Herbs) | 20 stick box | Low Smoke | £3.75
This incense is a complex one, built upon a Sandalwood base, giving it soft woody top notes. Alongside are floral ingredients such as Lily of the Valley, Rose and Jasmine join with additional woody notes from Hinoki (Japanese Cypress). This, low smoke incense, delivers a complex aroma which has an air of calm and serenity. | | 
| | This box contains 300 of the same sticks as Koh-Do Fresh Sandalwood on the left.
This box costs £27.99 - which is approx. 6 pence per stick
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Japanese Incense | Koh-Do | Musgo - Moss (Sandalwood/Moss) | 20 Stick Box | £3.75
The key ingredient is Sandalwood, providing a light woody top note, along with Moss – which brings in fresh and citrus notes. | | 
| | Japanese Incense Sticks | Nippon Kodo | Mainichikoh Moss | 300 Boxed (Sandalwood/Moss) | £18.99
This box contains 300 of the same sticks as Koh-Do Musgo/Moss on the left.
This box costs £18.99 - which is approx. 6.3 pence per stick
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Japanese Incense | Koh-Do | Samurai (Spicy Sandalwood) | 20 stick box | £3.75
Samurai is a Sandalwood based incense spiced with Star Anise, Cloves, Cinnamon and Borneol. Samurais used to perfume their armours with incense to purify the mind and body and create an aura of invincibility before the battle. Koh-Do Samurai (and Koh-Do Zen) are the only 2 varieties in the Koh-Do range which are made by Baieido - a traditional Japanese Incense company, renowned for their deep, warm and spicy fragranced incense.
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| | Japanese Incense Sticks | Baieido | Original Kobunboku | 220 sticks | Boxed | £20.95
We stock Baieido's Kobunboku Japanese Incense in several unit sizes - all the same fragrance as Koh-Do Samurai on the left:
220 Stick box at £20.95, 100 Sticks at £12.99, 85 Long Sticks at £17.95 and 25 Sticks at £3.99.
Excellent Spicy Sandalwood Incense, with many choices of box and stick sizes. |
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Japanese Incense | Koh-Do | Santal Blanc (White Sandalwood) | 20 Stick Box | £3.75
This White Sandalwood incense has a soft and sweetish woody aroma. The perfume given off by its aromatic wood has the virtue of relaxing the body and calming down the mind. It induces spirituality and withdrawal. Any occasion is good to use it, but especially helps internal development and study.
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| | Japanese Incense Sticks | Nippon Kodo | Eiju White Sandalwood | 430 sticks Boxed | £27.99
This box contains 430 of the same sticks as Koh-Do White Sandalwood Incense on the left.
This box costs £27.99 - which is approx. 6.5 pence per stick
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Japanese Incense | Koh-Do | Santal Rouge (Red Sandalwood) | 20 Stick Box | £3.75
This fragrance has powerful Red Sandalwood top notes known to relax the body and calm the mind. It induces spirituality and withdrawal. Any occasion is good to use it, but especially helps internal development, study and (especially) meditation. | | 
| | Japanese Incense Sticks | Nippon Kodo | Tendan Red Sandalwood | 330 sticks | £27.99
This box contains 330 of the same sticks as Koh-Do Red Sandalwood Incense on the left.
This box costs £27.99 - which is approx. 8.5 pence per stick |
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Japanese Incense | Koh-Do | Shogun (Sandalwood/Moss) | 20 Stick Box | £3.75
This incense features the deep and earthly aroma of oak Moss with a balsamic (citrus) note on a Sandalwood base. It evokes the fallen leaves accumulated by the wind, deep in the forest. | | 
| | Japanese Incense Sticks | Nippon Kodo | Tendan Old Temple (White Sandalwood) | 430 Sticks | £27.99
This box contains 430 of the same sticks as Koh-Do White Sandalwood Incense on the left.
This box costs £27.99 - which is approx. 6.5 pence per stick
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| High-Quality Indian Incense featuring Sandalwood: |
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| Sandalwood Luxury Indian Incense
10 Hand Rolled Sticks by Sacred Elephant
Smooth woody notes throughout, make this a luxurious and exotic fragrance.
10 Sticks for £3.99
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| Spécialiste Sandalwood Incense | 30 Stick Box by Sacred Elephant
Sacred Elephant’s Spécialiste range of Indian Incense uses a more superior grade of essential oil than their Luxury Indian Incense sticks, making these even more special.
This superior Sandalwood blend offers elegant creamy top notes coupled with tender woody undertones. Produced using superior grade Mysore Sandalwood oil, considered one of the best Sandalwoods available. 30 sticks for £19.95.
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| Sandalwood Indian Incense | Pure Incense Classic | 10 gram pack
Perfect for easy morning meditation and yoga practices. The base notes from these sticks are woody with sweet and fresh top notes.
£2.99 for this pack of 10 grams (8-10 sticks)
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| Sandalwood & Lavender Indian Incense | Pure Incense Classic | 10 gram pack
A remarkable blend of gentle earthy/woody notes from Sandalwood with refreshing top notes from Lavender.
£2.99 for this pack of 10 grams (8-10 sticks)
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| Sandalwood Indian Incense | Pure Incense Absolute | 20 gram pack
Sandalwood Absolute incense sticks feature a pure and unadulterated Sandalwood scent. Made by blending Sandal powder and Mysore oil.
£7.00 for 20 grams (16-20 sticks)
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| Black Sandalwood Indian Incense | Pure Incense Absolute | 20 gram pack
Black Sandalwood Absolute incense sticks features darker, richer and deeper notes than other Pure Incense Sandalwoods.
£7.00 for 20 grams (16-20 sticks)
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