Four Famous Varieties of Kyara (Qinan) and Their Aroma Identification Methods

Kyara is the top grade of agarwood, classified by color and texture into White, Green, Purple, and Yellow Kyara. Aroma identification involves three stages: top note, heart note, and base note, combined with tactile and oral sensation for comprehensive judgment.

Four Famous Varieties of Kyara: White, Green, Purple, and Yellow

Kyara (Qinan) is the rarest category of agarwood, traditionally classified by color, texture, and origin into four famous varieties: White Kyara, Green Kyara, Purple Kyara, and Yellow Kyara. White Kyara is grayish-white or pale yellow, soft and sticky, with fine oil lines and a numbing sensation in the mouth, and its aroma is clear and honey-sweet. Green Kyara is dark green or greenish-brown, rich in oil, with a distinct coolness and floral finish. Purple Kyara is purple-brown with patchy oil distribution, and its aroma is intense with fruity and milky notes. Yellow Kyara is yellow-brown with coarse oil lines and a mellow, earthy-spicy scent. Each variety has its own characteristics, and understanding these basics helps establish a reference for selection and appreciation. For more on Kyara classification and origins, see the Kyara pillar page.

Aroma Identification: Top, Heart, and Base Notes

Aroma identification of Kyara should be done in stages: the top note (initial heating) mainly presents coolness, honey sweetness, or floral scents, and premium Kyara has a clear, non-irritating top note; the heart note (middle stage) is the main body, with White Kyara being honey-sweet, Green Kyara cool-sweet, Purple Kyara fruity-milky, and Yellow Kyara mellow-spicy; the base note (late stage) tests longevity and depth, and good Kyara leaves a clean finish without burnt notes. It is recommended to use an electronic incense heater, gradually raising the temperature from 60°C to 120°C, and to smell each stage for 2-3 minutes while recording changes. A small amount of crumbs can also be chewed: White Kyara has strong numbing, Green Kyara distinct coolness, Purple Kyara long-lasting sweetness, and Yellow Kyara prominent spiciness. For systematic sensory training, refer to the methods on the Identification pillar page.

Tactile and Textural Auxiliary Judgment

Besides aroma, tactile sensation is an important dimension for identifying Kyara. White Kyara is the softest, easily indented by a fingernail, with sticky oil; Green Kyara is next, moist and smooth; Purple Kyara has patchy oil and is slightly harder; Yellow Kyara is relatively firm. When observing oil lines, White and Green Kyara have fine, continuous lines, while Purple and Yellow Kyara often show coarse lines or patches. Note that tactile judgment should be combined with aroma for comprehensive evaluation to avoid misjudgment based on a single indicator. For more on incense identification, browse the Chinese Incense Studies · Agarwood Identification topic.

Key Takeaways

The four famous Kyara varieties are ordered as White, Green, Purple, and Yellow. Aroma identification follows the three stages of top, heart, and base notes, supplemented by tactile and oral sensations, to build a systematic appreciation framework. Practice with standard samples to accumulate sensory memory. For comprehensive agarwood knowledge, visit the Agarwood Encyclopedia.

(This is industry observation and popular-science summary, not investment advice. Buy agarwood through legal channels with traceable, testable sources.)