Crottendorfer

Crottendorfer Incense Cones

In many cultures the custom of burning incense or other aromatic substances is found as a cleansing, healing or mystical element that has always fascinated people. Using smoke this way has its origin in a deep belief and ancient customs. But the image of rising smoke is also associated with the cosy warmth of the fireplace or the minutes of relaxation while smoking a pipe. Smoking cones were initially produced mainly at home or in pharmacies or drugstores. "Therapeutic incense" was a well-known term of 18th century medicine, and incense cones were sold as disinfectants or medicines because of their air-purifying effect. Frankincense and Christmas scents such as fir or sandalwood were among the historical classics.

The company “Crottendorfer Räucherkerzen” feels deeply committed to the tradition of this old craftsmanship. Due to the increasing sales of wood turned incense smokers, the demand for incense cones also increased steadily in the 20th century. Due to this fact in some places the commercial production of incense cones began on a larger scale. "Crottendorfer Räucherkerzen" is situated in the small community of Crottendorf, on the northern foothills of the Fichtelberg mountain, not far from the district town Annaberg-Buchholz. The well-known Crottendorfer Incense Cones have been produced there since 1936.

Even in German the name Crottendorf sounds kind of strange. There are different assumptions about where it comes from... Whether the toads (“Kröten”), which also adorn the village coat of arms, or the Germanic god Crodo led to the naming, or whether a knight of Crotten from Franconia named the village after his home community, cannot be clarified here conclusively. But it is certain that the "real Crottendorfer" incense cones - initially laboriously manufactured by hand and sold at markets - soon became a household name and are still successfully produced and sold today.

The blackish basic substance is made of charcoal, potato flour as a binding agent, sandalwood, red beech flour and other easily flammable basic substances. The scent is added by the addition of herbs or valuable resins. In addition to frankincense, many other aromatic ingredients such as ambergris, lavender or Peru balsam breathe their scent into the mixture according to their own special recipe. The elaboration of the fragrance mixtures must be skilful: Because not everything that smells good can be smoked fragrantly! The finished "dough" is then formed into small cones and packed when well dried out.

Crottendorfer Incense Cones - Our assortment

Many packages are decorated with the historical "mascot" of the company, the pipe-smoking forester with a white beard in his green uniform. Whether it's the classic, tangy spicy fir scent, the "3-King scent" or the colourful mix (available in normal size or as minis) - everyone will find the right smoking scent at Christmas time. In summer, fragrances such as strawberry vanilla or coconut delight the nerves. When mosquitoes plague you on summer evenings, lighting a Crottendorfer XL incense cone of the variety 'RUHE’ (get off) will help you.

Within the “Sensual Magic” range, fragrances such as "Wild romance" or "Blue Velvet" - in the noble golden packaging with oriental ornaments - will not only seduce the olfactory sense. The "World Tour" series takes you - always according to your nose - to the scents of African nights or to Cuba; the "Santali" series offers oriental scents such as pepper-citrus. We are looking forward to discover what else the Crottendorfer scent inventors will create in the near future!

Quality

Only natural and nature-identical fragrances such as resins, herbs, spices, woods, plant extracts, essential oils and local beechwood charcoal are used for Crottendorfer incense cones. The high quality and purity of the carefully selected raw materials is regularly examined by one of the largest German institutes, which certifies that Crottendorfer incense candles are harmless to health. In addition, the incense cones made by Crottendorfer are tested daily for fragrance and flammability. The permanent "staff" of the workshops includes several smoking figures made from wood who smoke diligently all day long!