Our favorite Frankincense comes from Oman. In Oman, the sweet, mild citrus scent of Frankincense is everywhere: from government buildings to streets & alleys, homes, shops & more. As incense sticks are to Japan, Frankincense is to many Middle Eastern countries.
Frankincense comes from the Boswellia tree found in southern Arabia, Somalia, Kenya & India. There are over a dozen species, but 'sacra' is considered by many to be the finest smelling Frankincense. The actual tree is not the prettiest thing you'd ever see & you would probably not ask your landscaper for it in your Zen Garden. The Boswellia tree grows in harsh conditions & is likely to be found clinging to rocks or small cliffs.
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Harvesting Frankincense can be tricky. A tree can be harvested up to three times a year, but often at the expense of lessening that tree's life span. Harvesting is all done by hand, no heavy equipment or machinery. A small amount of bark is scraped from the tree & will start to ooze resin. The harvester must wait until the resin harden before removing it for the sorting process. The resinous pieces, called "tears", are sorted by hand or in some cases, sifted. Then it's off to market!
In the case of Omani Frankincense, we are talking about Hojary (Hojari). The resin is sorted into two sizes, Superior (larger tears) & First choice (smaller tears). The only difference between the two is the size! You'll enjoy the sweet fragrance of both.
Have we piqued your interest in Frankincense? We have First Choice Hojary available here. If burning botanicals isn't your thing, try our amazing Oman Frankincense sticks.
Many thanks to Bill Huf from Scents of Earth for this article.
