originally published Nov. 22, 2017
I love Thanksgiving because I love cooking and I love eating and it’s an entire holiday centered around cooking and eating…And watching a giant parade…and spending time with family…but mostly cooking and eating!
According to the Oxford dictionary, a gourmand is a person who enjoys eating and often eats too much. (This may or may not apply to me…) In regards to fragrance, gourmand describes a scent that replicates the smell of something edible, and typically sweet – i.e. vanilla, caramel, chocolate, honey. Here is a list of some of my favorite gourmand candles that will make your mouth water and excite your olfactory bulb in preparation for the cacophony of smells coming your way on the big feast day ahead.
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1. Cristian Dior – Fève Délicieuse
Fève Délicieuse translates to “delicious bean”, which in the case of this candle, refers to the tonka bean. Tonka is a very popular ingredient these days – both in fragrance and in food. But did you know the tonka bean is illegal in the US? Well, at least in the food industry it is! (Read more about that here.)
But fortunately for us tonka is still legal in the fragrance industry and this candle is chock-full of it. Similar to vanilla but a bit more complex, it is rich with a wonderful gourmand warmth. Notes of vanilla add sweetness and depth to the scent and I get a whiff of chocolate as well. An intense and very fragrant candle – not for the faint of nose!
Buy it:
UK: harrods (in-store only)
US: dior.com
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2. 12.29 – This Feels Dangerous
12.29’s This Feels Dangerous was probably named for the high likelihood of someone trying to eat the candle. It has a scrumptious scent that reminds me of chocolate pastries and sweet raisin breads. Notes of vanilla and chocolate mix with musks and animalistic base notes to create an alluring smell that awakens your more basic desires. (Mostly the desire to eat lots and lots of decadent chocolates and cakes.) This indulgent candle smells just as good as Thanksgiving dessert but it lasts longer and is probably better for your waistline.
Buy it:
UK: Harrods
US: Barneys
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3. Trineo – Ginger Bread
Trineo’s Ginger Bread is a deliciously sweet and cinnamony candle that smells just like a ginger bread loaf. A perfect accompaniment to a tofurky dinner, it is a dessert for the nose. The candle transitions seemlessly into the Christmas season for many more hours of delectable goodness. Who knows, it may even inspire you to try your hand at baking a ginger bread loaf!
Buy it:
UK: Wick Candle Boutique (in-store only)
Trineo (online-only)
US: Trineo (online-only)
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4. Tatine – Wild Honey
Tatine’s Wild Honey smells exactly like the honey straws I used to devour on road trips across the Midwest with my parents. Every time we stopped at a general store or farm shop, I would beg my mom to buy me peach-flavored honey straws. Perhaps they were available somewhere near where we lived in Chicago, but in my mind they were a delicacy reserved only for those lucky enough to live in the country. Coincidentally, Tatine is a company based out of Chicago, so perhaps this candle was inspired by the same Midwestern honey straws.
Buy it:
UK: Selfridges (in-store only)
Tatine (online only)
US: Tatine (online only)
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5. Malin + Goetz – Dark Rum
Ok so I know it’s not exactly food, but you probably want to drink a bit on Thanksgiving too. Dark Rum by Malin + Goetz is a lush candle (no pun intended) with inviting notes of vanilla, sweet notes of plum, and deep notes of rum. A bit of bergamot brightens up the scent, while leather and amber-patchouli add a bit of spice and warmth.
Buy it:
UK: Liberty
US: Barneys
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6. Votivo – Speakeasy
Continuing with the sweet alcohol scents, Votivo’s Speakeasy smells of delicious bourbon, brandy, and rum, and the casks in which they are aged. Woody with a touch of spice, you can definitely smell the alcohol in this candle – and who knows, it might even help you get through all the family stress of the holiday.
Buy it:
UK: Wick Candle Boutique
US: Find a Votivo retailer
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7. La Montaña – Alfredo’s Café
La Montaña’s Alfredo’s Café is a dark and smoky candle with notes of tobacco, coffee, brandy and incense. A great after-dinner treat for the nose, this candle transports you to an old café with comfy leather chairs and the smell of coffee lingering in the air.
Buy it:
UK: Wick Candle Boutique
US: La Montaña (online-only)
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8. The Bearded Candle Makers – Shells Seaside Café
Shells Seaside Café by The Bearded Candle Makers is another candle that conjures up images of a cozy café but unlike Alfredo’s Café, which is dark and smoky, Shell’s Seaside Café is light and sweet. It is as if the smell of coffee and cake is being carried on an ocean breeze, tickling your nostrils and taste buds. This could be a great candle for slowly lifting you out of that inevitable food coma.
Buy it:
UK: Wick Candle Boutique
US: The Bearded Candlemakers (online-only)
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9. Diptyque – Vanille
Diptyque’s Vanille candle is a delicious and slightly smoky take on vanilla. Warm and welcoming, this is a great candle to burn all winter long when you need something a little sweet to brighten up those cold, dark days.
Buy it:
UK: Selfridges
US: Barneys
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10. Archipelago – Madagascar
Archipelago’s Madagascar is another luscious vanilla candle. Smooth and gourmand, this candle is sure to make your Thanksgiving guests think there is something delicious baking in the oven, even if the dessert is secretly store-bought.
Buy it:
UK: Selfridges
US: Find an archipelago retailer
Tonka photo credit : Photo by mecredis on VisualHunt / CC BY
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