Beeyo Madow - Frankincense (Boswellia Neglecta)

Beeyo is the Somali word for "balm" or "incense". Madow is their word for "dark" or "black". 

This frankincense is from the Boswellia Neglecta tree, found in Ogaden. It is a relatively unknown variety and we here at AS are happy to collect the more rare and exotic varieties of incense. 

It is brittle to break apart and smells citrusy, fresh, and sweet, almost like a feminine perfume - but in a gentle and natural way, not like in an overpowering chemical way.

Frankincense is a small tree in the Boswellia genus found in the Arabian Peninsula and parts of Africa. When the bark is injured, such as from a beetle piercing it, the resin flows out to harden and solidify over the injured spots. The excess that drips down below the injured spot or off the tree entirely is then harvested by hand for incense use.

Directions for Enjoyment:

Use our mortar and pestle to break apart the large chunks.

Using tongs (included with our censers), hold the charcoal on one end and use a butane or other torch or lighter to light one end, or opposite sides, of the tablet. Within seconds it will turn white on the edge. Place it on top of the bed of ash. Wait 20-30 minutes for the tablet to fully turn grey, then (still using tongs) place in the hole, then cover with ash and poke a hole in the top covering ash down to the tablet (don't poke the tablet, this is an air hole so the tablet will stay lit). 

Then, on top and to the side (not covering the air hole) place a mica plate or a foil sheet, and place the resin incense on that. After a few minutes the incense will slowly melt and bubble and release fragrance. 

If the incense is charring, turning black, smoking horribly -- you have placed it too close to the charcoal. These tablets get very hot and need space between the burned material. 

Note: do not directly inhale incense. It is not an herb for smoking, it is meant to be smelled in the room, not consumed. Also note: this will produce a lot of smoke. 

I find that after lighting in the night, the next morning the scent is best. 

Also note: You may receive a large or small jar. They are both the same weight you selected, there is no difference, other than the larger jars will contain larger chunks, yet still plenty of ground pieces for you to start without needing a mortar and pestle (though it will definitely be handy to have for the future). They are selected at random, and are different to minimize shipping room if ordering other items.

If you find the piece is too sticky to break apart, you may freeze it overnight, but all pieces in the jars should be easily manageable. As well, you will get many uses out of a single ounce. It will last awhile.