Astier De Villatte "Atelier de Balthus" Incense

In the painter's studio, all covered in wood panelling, time seems suspended. Through the big bay window overlooking green altitude meadows, the Northern light pours her powdery rays all over brushes, palettes, tubes, paint pots, sketched canvasses and rags still wet with linseed oil. The air is fragrant with the heady smell of turpentine mixed with lovely wisps of smoke, honey, woods, tobacco and cedar wood. Contains essences of Spanish Turpentine, Texan Cedar and Indonesian Patchouli. Perfume designed with Alexandra Monet.

The best incense in the world is found on the island of Awaji, due to its favorable climate. For more than a thousand years it has been made here by the Koh-shis or Masters of Aromas, a tradition passed down from father to son. They alone perfectly master the four stages of production: the dosage of exclusively natural materials, precious woods, herbs, plants, vegetable resins, and perfume; the kneading of the dough, pressed and worked for a long time, then left to stand for two weeks to soak up the fragrance; the cutting of the dough, rolled into long, narrow ribbons, to the desired size; then drying in the west wind for three days before bundling the sticks.