Basebatti, White Batti, Masala and Charcoal-“Free” Dhoop Stick Incense

I decided to write this blog post to answer many questions about different technologies of making incense, because despite my many efforts in communication with our customers, there are still many gaps when it comes to the ways of making high-quality natural incense.

I am not going to cover charcoal-made dipped incense here, which is produced simply by rolling charcoal paste onto a stick and then dipping it into fragrance oil. This method is obvious and widely known. People also know why it is better to avoid charcoal-only incense—not only because it is made from charcoal, which is an excellent burning material, but also because in order for charcoal to be rolled onto the incense stick, some sort of binder is required to keep the paste wet. Unfortunately, with the cheapest incense, many corners are cut, and instead of natural binders such as halmaddi resin or jigit powder, some form of glue is often used, which can be far more harmful.

I would like to cover three types of incense technology here: masala, perfumed masala, and basebatti (“soaked” masala).

Classic Masala Incense

To make masala incense, one needs wood powder, charcoal or coconut shell powder, halmaddi resin, jigit powder, honey (if desired), and essential oil or an oil blend. These ingredients are added to a blender and mixed into a dough. The paste is then rolled onto the incense stick. This is the most common way of making incense.

The benefits of masala technology are obvious: it is smooth-burning and can be kept fresh for many, many years because the fragrance is already locked inside the stick. In order to create “unique selling points,” some companies have claimed that they rediscovered masala technology in the 20th century. This is a false and incorrect claim—masala technology has been known for centuries and was never “rediscovered.” Do not believe the marketing hype.

Perfumed Masala Incense

In our catalogue, there is only one such incense: Amber Oudh. You can find it here. It is made exactly the same way as classic masala incense, with only one additional step: once the classic masala sticks are made and dried, they are dipped into perfume oil. This results in a perfumed masala stick.

This extra step makes the incense even more fragrant—juicy, balsamic, and multi-layered when burned. Such incense is usually far more expensive than standard masala because it contains a much higher quantity of perfume. The sticks are not soaked in perfume oil for a long time but are dipped for a short period only.

Basebatti

This is the third and more recently developed type. I say “recently,” but it was actually developed around 40 years ago in Bangalore by a Muslim company, according to the information I have.

It is made in a similar way to masala: wood powder and halmaddi/jigit powder are mixed in a blender, but fragrance oil is not added to the mix. In other words, we have a classic masala stick without added fragrance. Usually, halmaddi content is minimal or completely absent. Such sticks will still have a neutral woody smell, but they will not be very complex or fragrant.

Once the stick is formed, it is coated with powder and left to dry. After drying, the sticks are soaked in perfume oil—sometimes for a long period—to absorb as much oil as possible, making them extremely fragrant. Unlike charcoal sticks, basebatti incense can absorb up to 80% more oil and requires a much higher quantity of perfume than classic masala incense. For this reason, basebatti incense is usually the most expensive.

In our catalogue, basebatti sticks include Absolute Oudh, Arabian Oudh, Royal Mysore Sandalwood, Royal Sandalwood, and others. They appear darker than typical masala incense, and the colour of the powder is uneven along the stick because it has been dipped in perfume; the oil darkens the powder naturally.

Woody scents such as Oudh, Sandalwood, Frankincense, and Myrrh are usually best made as basebatti, because a neutral base absorbs the oil without distortion from honey and other ingredients typically added to masala incense. That said, there are many beautiful Oudhs and Sandalwoods made using masala technology—our own Oudh, Oudh Majestic, Sandalwood Origins, and Sacred Frankincense are all masala sticks. These tend to be richer and more multi-layered, but if someone wishes to experience the pure scent of the oil itself, basebatti is the better choice.

“Charcoal-Free” Dhoops and White Batti

Quite recently, the market has been flooded with so-called “charcoal-free” dhoop sticks that all look identical—light brown and dipped in perfume. These are highly synthetic and potentially dangerous. Without charcoal or coconut shell powder, such sticks will not burn naturally, so it is very likely that sodium nitrate or potassium nitrate has been added to keep them lit. These should be avoided at all costs.

The same applies to White Batti. These are ready-made sticks imported from China or Vietnam into India and then dipped in perfume. Despite their “natural” appearance—perfectly uniform, machine-made brown or light-brown sticks—they are produced from very cheap wood powder with chemical binders added to facilitate burning. Technically, despite being charcoal-free, white batties are extremely dangerous and should be avoided at all times.

I hope this helps. If you have any questions, please drop us an email or leave a comment below.
Thanks for reading!