Words Aesop and the Kanto team
Images Aesop
From the woody notes of hinoki, to the herbaceous hints of vetiver, Aesop’s earthy scents make the jump from skin to space with their latest trio of aromas, co-created with fragrance partner Barnabé Fillion and a Kyoto-based incense atelier. The Aromatique Incense collection blends tradition and modernity with its trinity of aromas, all named after the diaries of female Japanese authors from the Heian period, a nod to the Melbourne-based brand’s reverence for literature.
The incense sticks carry a distinctive square profile devoid of a bamboo core for a gentle burn, emitting delicate ribbons of aroma when lit, suffusing the air with a calming fragrance that stimulates “…quietude, contemplation, and creativity,” lingering long after the fading of the embers.
The Aromatique Incense collection includes the Murasaki, with its hinoki, cinnamon, and clove notes, a calming blend of spices and fresh, woody resins. Kagerou recalls memories of verdant surrounds with vetiver, igusa, and sandalwood. Sarashina exudes quiet intensity with sandalwood, clove, and cinnamon, starting with a dry, woody aroma and climaxing to earthy, spicy notes.
Each incense pack comes in a recycled carton packaging, yielding 33 sticks, with a Kanuma pumice disc as a mount for a single stick. The burn time is approximately 30 minutes for each stick, which is composed of 100% incense.
Beautifully complementing the aromatic collection is the Aesop Bronze Incense Holder, a German-crafted solid bronze piece by Vogel Studio. Quietly elegant with a distinctive asymmetrical form, the holder features a concave, leaf-shaped dish to capture falling ash and is designed to allow the formation of a natural patina. “I wanted to give the ashes a stage, slightly raised from the table. In an abstract way, the shape also resembles a giving or supporting hand,” object designer Fabio Vogel adds. The holder is designed to cradle standard-sized incense sticks, with regular cleaning and polishing capable of restoring the original textured bronze finish of the piece.
To begin your olfactory journey, draw out and set an incense stick alight, extinguish the flame, and let the aroma unfurl in a well-ventilated corner. Ensure that your chosen surface is well protected from falling ash and that the stick is secured by either the bronze holder or the complimentary pumice disc mount.
The Bronze Incense Holder retails at PHP7,700, while the Aromatique Incense trio is available for PHP2,200 at Aesop Greenbelt, Rockwell, and SM Aura. •
