How Is Incense Made

Osmanthus Moon, from our Heated line: how to make incense pellets, start to finish. First, the osmanthus, the heart of Osmanthus Moon. A sweet floral scent with a hint of fruit. It smells like autumn. Next, the sandalwood. Its wood scent is soft, creamy and warm, a base under the sweet osmanthus. Everything is ground ahead and sifted to 50 mesh, a good size for kneading. Then agarwood: a cool wood scent, slightly sweet. Mo Hong rose adds a soft, sweet floral layer. Lemongrass brings lemon and fresh grass. Clove is warm and spicy, a little spice for the flowers and woods. Last, a plant binder to help the powder hold its shape. These flowers, woods and spices all get kneaded into Osmanthus Moon.

Mix the dry powders first so every material and the binder spread evenly. Then add the cooked honey. Cooked honey is honey heated to drive off water. It binds the powder and adds a honey sweetness that rounds out the flowers and woods. There’s no fixed honey-to-powder ratio. Add it bit by bit and feel how firm the dough gets.

Knead the damp powder until it comes together. Drier is better than wetter. If it’s too wet, knead in more powder until it holds a shape. Bag the dough and let it rest for two to three hours before rolling.

Set aside more dried osmanthus to coat the pellets. Crush it in a stone mill into fine bits. This layer is called guayi, a “hanging coat” rolled onto each pellet for scent and texture. Collect it on a tray. Once the pellets are rolled, while they’re still damp, they get a coat.

Divide the rested dough into small pieces and roll each one in your palm. Incense pellets are heated and used up, so we don’t polish them. They keep their hand-rolled shape. Weigh each one to keep them even: about 1 cm across, 35 to a jar. Each pellet holds osmanthus and rose, sandalwood and agarwood, with clove and lemongrass for a little contrast. Keep rolling. Next, the osmanthus coat.

Gently shake the tray so the damp pellets pick up the osmanthus, adding scent and a golden, grainy texture.

Shade-dry for 3 to 7 days to set. Then into a white porcelain jar. The two weeks in transit cure them and deepen the scent. Use within three months of your order date.

Heat one or two at 150°C / 300°F. Never burned, so no smoke and no ash. Our pick for autumn evenings at home: honeyed osmanthus over soft wood.