Inside this pale blue box with juniper berries on the lid are 15 incense bricks and a terracotta holder. The bricks are small, sand-coloured blocks. With them comes a decorated clay holder with a wavy edge and a hole in the middle. Made in India, the slim box measures 7.5 × 14.5 cm.
Juniper on a Scottish New Year morning
In Scotland there was an old New Year custom of burning juniper branches in the house and then opening the windows. By tradition, this was how the home was blessed for the year ahead. Many people still use juniper smoke to clear a space.
A fresh, woody scent
Aromatic, green and slightly woody, the scent feels lighter than sweet resin incense. It suits the home in the morning or after a big clean.
You may know juniper from the kitchen: its berries flavour game dishes and gin. These bricks share the same fresh, green character.
Lighting it in the holder
Stand a brick in the hole of the holder, light the top and blow out the flame after a few seconds. It then smoulders and slowly releases smoke. If you want to take the smoke through the whole home, carry the holder carefully on a heat-resistant plate from room to room. Leave the doors open as you go so the smoke does not build up in one place.
While it burns, keep the holder on a heat-resistant surface, away from anything flammable. Air the room, do not leave it unattended and do not breathe in the smoke directly. Keep it away from children and pets. Once cool, tip out the ash and the holder is ready to use again.