Ancient Woods Candle

Old wood and distant smoke. A forest in the last of the light, when it has gone very quiet.

A lightly scented candle, soft rather than strong. Good on a dinner table, where a big fragrance competes with the food, or in a small room where you want something warm and woodsy in the background rather than in front of you.

Wood comes first and stays: weathered, dry, the smell of trees that have been standing a long time. Smoke sits underneath it, faint enough to be more suggestion than campfire. A thread of sweetness runs through the middle, and lavender and cold linen keep the whole thing clean rather than heavy.

Warm, dry, and a long way from the road.

WHAT YOU'LL SMELL

• First: weathered wood, dry and old.
• Then: black currant and a faint sweetness, with lavender and cold linen.
• Underneath: woodsmoke and a soft mineral musk.

WHY YOU'LL LOVE IT

• A lighter scent: soft rather than strong, which suits a dinner table or a small room.
• Poured by hand in small batches: made in Brooklyn, a few at a time.
• Soy and coconut wax: a vegan blend, with no paraffin.
• Phthalate-free fragrance: formulated without phthalates.
• A jar worth keeping: amber glass with a lid, shaped like a little pumpkin. Wash it out when the candle is done and it is yours to use.

HOW TO BURN IT

1. Take the lid off and set the candle on a heat-resistant surface, away from drafts.
2. On the first burn, let the wax melt all the way to the edge of the jar. It takes about 2 to 3 hours, and it is what stops the candle tunnelling later.
3. Trim the wick to 1/4 inch before every lighting, and burn no longer than 4 hours at a time.