Kyara Varieties & How to Identify Them by Scent

Kyara (Qinan) is the most resin-dense, dramatically aromatic grade of agarwood — soft in texture, strongly fragrant at room temperature, sticky and sweet when chewed. By hue and scent it is classically split into white, green, violet and black varieties, the apex of collecting. For deep identification see the Kyara pillar.

Scent coordinates of the four varieties

White is transcendentally clear, cooling with honey-sweet — scarce and dear; green pairs sweet-cool with floral and fruity layers, the richest; violet is deep and restrained, sweet with medicinal notes; black is grounded and lasting. Compare specimen traits in Chinese Incense Studies · Agarwood Cabinet.

Four-step ID: see, feel, smell, chew

See if resin and grain look naturally translucent; feel if it is slightly moist and soft at room temperature; smell for distinct cooling-sweet-transparent layering; chew a pinch — it should stick to teeth, tingle, then sweeten. The gap between true kyara and oil-injected fakes is vast; see the Identification pillar.

Beginner caution

The word "kyara" is badly overused; demand third-party testing and provenance before any purchase. Treat varieties as study coordinates, not buying promises.

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