Fresh Cut Herbs

May is flying by, the days are growing longer and summer is just around the corner.  I continue to light a lot of candles late into the summer evenings, more for the glow than the fragrance.  When it comes to summer fragrance people might imagine beachy, suntan lotion-inspired scents, and they’re okay.  But to me, nothing says summer more than the smell of fresh vegetables and herbs abundant in the farmer’s markets.

Love the rich olive green wax.

Maybe its because of the slower, more relaxed pace to the days, but I’m more inspired to try new recipes during the summer months than any other time of year.  Using fresh herbs in dishes makes such a difference to the taste, that I try to have at least a few around for the summer.  Fortunately, I seem to have the ability to keep herb plants alive; however, that’s about where my gardening prowess ends.  Although, I prefer the aroma of live herbs, I must admit that Yankee Candle has done a nice job recreating that essence with their Fresh Cut Herbs candle.

Fragrance: Starts with a vibrant medley of basil, parsley, and cilantro oils.  What could be better?  After burning awhile, an earthiness comes out, with mossy and leafy notes.  It might be my imagination, but I get a hint of sweet licorice, too.  Possibly anise or tarragon.

Performance: Consistently strong.  If staying near it, the basil is the sharpest note.  I light mine in the kitchen and can smell it waft through the living room and downstairs to the family room.  It’s not really a layering fragrance, because it dominates other scents I’ve used at the same time.

Recommendation: It’s unlike any other US Yankee scent.  Yankee lovers clamored for its return for several years.  Although they did release the Fresh Mint candle, it just wasn’t close to FCH, at all.

If you enjoy an intense mix of herbs, this scent comes pretty close.  I might even try this during the winter if I’m craving a refreshing, summery scent.  It’s a limited re-release that will probably be found at stores throughout the summer in jar form. I’ve gotten a few already, just in case it takes a while to come back.

Olive & Thyme

Another herb scent that is likely to be a fan favorite is this lovely, Mediterranean-inspired one.  My sister picked up this unique little tart for me at a Yankee outlet. Olive & Thyme is a 2016 UK exclusive scent from the Riviera Escape line.

I haven’t melted it yet, but it’s truly one of the freshest and most unique scents on cold sniff.  I wish I had my sis’s restraint because when I find a rare scent, I usually buy ten!  Maybe I’ll make an outlet trip to see if I can get just a few more…The good news is that I’ve seen a sneak preview of the Yankee holiday line-up, and there’ll be a (hopefully) similar scent released in the US around Chrismas[thyme]!

-jaybird