Candle 04 : smoked black tea, mugwort, birch

EDITOR'S NOTE

A spellbinding candle!
First, you are struck by the subtle, very smoky scent of Lapsang Souchong black tea. Before the aromatic and botanical facet of mugwort lends a surprising, unexpected freshness. Last but not least, notes of birch wood add depth and distinctive warm, sweet and leathery undertones.
PS: Birchwood is difficult to use as it is so potent. One drop too many are enough to ruin a creation. But in just the right amount, it does wonders for leathery notes.

What does the black tea note smell like in perfumery?
Have you ever heard of Lapsang Souchong? This black tea has intense, astonishingly smoky, floral, and woody notes. After harvest, the tea is smoked on a pinewood fire to give it a very distinctive woody and smoky flavor. Invented in Fujian province in south-east China, Lapsang Souchong probably dates from the 18th century. Its name means “little leaves from the original mountain”. It is said that the tea growers – thinking the harvest was ruined and having to dry the tea as quickly as possible to avoid losing it completely – had the idea to smoke it with the wood of a local resinous tree.

What does mugwort add?
The scent of mugwort is described as camphoric, fresh, herbaceous, and bitter. This small plant, extracted by distillation, belongs to the aromatic family. Its aromatic accents sometimes recall the more herbal facets of cannabis and make a wonderful pairing with these notes.

How is birch wood used?
Birch tar oil is obtained by slow destructive distillation of the wood. These molecules are very heavy, have a powerful scent, and stabilize the other ingredients. Birchwood adds depth and warm, sweet, and leathery facets. It is very useful for creating natural leather notes. 

THE DETAILS

• Notes of Smoked Black Tea, Rhubarb, Mugwort, Hemp, Birch Bark
• Palm oil free
• 100% Made in France
• Available in 70g and 180g
• Small 70g candle - lasts up to 18hrs