Incense In The Wind

Radiating Incense In The Wind - a painting by Hai Linh Le

Friday 24 February 2017

Knox Weihrauch-Myrrhe Räucherkerzen (Myrrh incense cones)




Germany has a wonderful tradition of wooden incense cone burners in the shape of  various characters, such as farmers, gardeners, snowmen, etc. I think they are mainly used during the Christmas period. I bought a vintage one off eBay a few years ago, and it is my favourite incense burner, though a bit battered now.

My vintage German "smoker"

Knox are the main brand for these burners. They are a German firm who were founded around 1882 in a disused gunpowder mill. The range of fragrances available are quite traditional, and Christmas orientated, which suits me. I had been meaning for some time to get some Knox cones, but just hadn't got round to it.


Knox are not the only producers of cones or Räucherkerzen,
there are three main producers: Knox, Crottendorfer and Huss

Wandering around Winchester Christmas Market in December I found a stall selling German smokers and Knox incense, so I bought a cute mushroom burner and two boxes of Knox incense. This is the Weihrauch-Myrrhe. Myrrh is one of my favourite incense aromas , so I had to grab those. The cones are somewhat crudely made - they are quite small and burn much more quickly than I am used to. My main cones are Satya, and they last between 20 and 30 minutes each. These cones last between 5 and 10 minutes. There is a clear ridge on the side which indicates they are made in a mould rather than formed by hand. And, curiously, many of them have a lop-sided sort of curling tip. Ha! Quite cute.

It is a light scent, and while myrrh is present there is also the sharp tang of coal, so it sometimes smells like an old coal fire. I don't mind that, as I grew up in the age of coal fires and steam trains, so I find the smell of burning coal quite attractive and evocative, but if people are looking for a purer myrrh scent, then they might be disappointed. I have myrrh resin which I burn on charcoal discs, and I love that, but it is a bit fiddly, so I find incense quicker, easier and safer.

Anyway. I am pleased to have tried these Knox cones, and I will be curious to try more, and to try the cones from the other German companies, but I am just a tad disappointed at the overall quality.

Date: Feb 2017  Score: 30

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Knox incence

  
Myrrh


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