Around the world… in five scented candles
Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.
Astier de Villatte Stromboli
Some 40 miles off the north coast of Sicily lies Stromboli, home to one of the most active volcanoes in the world. Nicknamed the “lighthouse of the Mediterranean”, the island is dusted with lemon, orange and olive trees, while scratchy herbs bloom on its rugged cliffs. Parisian brand Astier de Villatte has captured the landscape with citrus, thyme and jasmine – all rounded off with an earthy base of oak moss and clove. €75, astierdevillatte.com
DS & DURGA Big Sur After Rain
What does Big Sur, central California’s mountainous section of misty coastline, smell like after a thunderstorm? Magnolia, wet wood and eucalyptus leaf, according to Brooklyn perfume duo DS & DURGA, who believe that “perfume is armchair travel”. An accompanying Spotify playlist – think The Doors, Grateful Dead and David Crosby – makes for an illusory trip down Highway 1. £60, libertylondon.com
Sensori+ Gayndah Orchard 4625
Bergamot, neroli and cedarwood give this candle from wellbeing brand Sensori+ the scent of Gayndah, Australia’s citrus capital. All-natural and plant-derived, Sensori+’s candles have the added benefit of being air purifying, and promise to eliminate more than 100 airborne toxins. All the better to enjoy the sweet scents of this Queensland town. From $29, sensoriplus.com
Trudon Maduraï
The significance of jasmine in Madurai, an ancient city in the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu, can be traced back to 300BC, when a king discovered its sweet-smelling flowers on a hunting trip. Since then, the plant has become synonymous with a host of the region’s myths, legends and rituals, and Madurai has earned the title of India’s Jasmine city. French candlemaker Trudon has captured its magic with notes of ylang-ylang, benzoin and jasmine absolute – one of six blends in the Belles Matières collection, a “geographic odyssey” that explores the origins of rare perfumes. From €38, trudon.com
19-69 Villa Nellcôte
Before launching his Swedish-based parfumerie 19-69, Johan Bergelin spent two years working with artisans in Scandinavia, Italy and France. Of all the sites across the latter, it was Villa Nellcôte, a Belle Époque mansion in Villefranche-sur-Mer, that prompted one the brand’s most popular scents. Inspired by the estate’s surrounding gardens – once the stomping ground of British rock band The Rolling Stones – the Villa Nellcôte candle has uplifting top notes of grapefruit, lemon and pink pepper, with a lasting base of cedarwood, patchouli and musk. £85, selfridges.com
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