July 29th, 2011
Forest Fresh
Incense connotes exotic allure or hippie vibes, but not this one: a balsam-fir stick that smells purely of home and land.
Paine Products, of Maine, USA, claims to be the “original balsam company,” and no one is arguing. Their best-selling product is balsam-fir incense, which comes in short, thick sticks, 24 to a box. The formula hasn't changed since 1931, and with one deep, enchanted sniff, you'll see why it shouldn't. Each stick burns for a few hours, filling your space with—paradoxically enough—a super-clean smokiness.
You won't be able to smell the forest for the trees.
—Sarah Nicole Prickett
$8.95 for 40 sticks at Old Faithful Shop, 320 W. Cordova St., Vancouver, 778-327-9376, www.oldfaithfulshop.com
