Where do I start …?

The world of Indian incense can feel a little intimidating at first. There is simply so much of it — so many names, regions, traditions and fragrances — that knowing where to begin can feel oddly difficult.

I often think of it like hearing a jazz record for the first time. You might love what you hear, but still wonder where to go next. Do you start with the familiar, the melodic, the accessible? Or do you head straight for the deeper numbers, the recordings made for musicians rather than audiences?

Indian incense is much the same. There are fragrances made to be immediately welcoming, crowd-pleasers, and others created very much for domestic use or for those who have lived with incense for many years. Some are soft and generous, others austere, resinous or quietly challenging. None are ‘better’ than the others — they simply speak to different times of day, moods and tastes.

The Incense Atelier exists to make space for that whole spectrum.

It’s an awkward and overused word of late but my role here is that of curator as much as proprietor. Over time I have built relationships with small producers and traditional houses across India, many of them working in ways that have changed very little for generations. What connects them is an emphasis on natural materials and methods, craft, and a respect for scent as something lived with, not merely consumed.

The intention is not to overwhelm, but to offer choice. To allow you to explore, return, compare, and slowly discover what resonates with you.

Some fragrances announce themselves confidently. Deep ambers, woods, resins and oudhs often feel grounding and contemplative, and are sometimes described — rightly or wrongly — as having a more ‘masculine’ character. Others lean toward the floral heart of Indian perfumery: jasmine (mogra), rose, tuberose, champak — scents that can feel radiant, intimate, or devotional, depending on how they are composed.

Between these poles lies an enormous middle ground. The many expressions of Nag Champa alone range from dry and restrained to lush and sweet. Add to this spices, herbs, gums and regional variations, domestic or export and the landscape becomes wonderfully varied.

There is no correct starting point here.

If you are new to Indian incense, I would encourage you to wander. Read, sample, trust your your curiosity. If you already know what you love I hope you will find familiar fragrances rendered with care, alongside unexpected discoveries.

This journal will be a place to explore different aspects of incense — its materials, traditions and regions, and the ways incense fits into daily life. From time to time, I’ll feature writing by others — makers, writers and reviewers — whose experience of incense gives them something worth sharing. But above all, it is an invitation.

Please come in. Take your time. Explore.