It’s the season for holiday candles. I, for one, am tired of the usual pine and pomander (fruit-and-spice) offerings, so I’ve decided to review a candle that qualifies as “festive” without being a cliché: Astier de Villatte Naples.
When Astier de Villatte decided to honor Napoli with a candle, they had many scent options: the sea (Bay of Naples), the volcano (imagine the incense/smoky notes of Vesuvius); or the pizza (tomato leaf, basil, olive, rosemary).* Instead, Astier de Villatte choose Italian pastry as inspiration; unexpected, but it works.
When I was in Napoli a few years back, I ate like a hog: cappuccino and strawberry tarts for breakfast, an entire pizza or big bowl of pasta for lunch (as for dinners — they were almost “endless,” but in a good way). At tea time each day, I got into the habit of “snacking” at the old Gran Caffè Gambrinus (where the likes of Oscar Wilde, Gabriele D’Annunzio, and, yes, the always-famished Luciano Pavarotti, have sipped and chewed over the last hundred years). There are less expensive, and friendlier, places to take tea, coffee or cocktails than Gambrinus but the pastries are delicious, the café is gorgeous, and if you sit outside, you’ll see the glories of Napoli walk by — animal and human.
The Naples candle smells like the Gran Caffè Gambrinus pastry shop, especially its popular sfogliatelle. The Naples candle contains fragrance notes of almond, orange blossom, ylang ylang, petitgrain and neroli. Believe it or not, these notes in combination produce aromas of buttery almond pastry filled with sweet custard — the entire composition flecked with the scents of grated citrus rind and vanilla beans. “Culinary” orange blossom also plays a part in the custard accord, but Naples is not a floral candle.
The Naples candle is heavily scented and has excellent throw; it burns evenly and cleanly IF you let the top of the candle liquefy with each use and keep the wick trimmed. The Naples candle is Astier de Villatte in top form.
Astier de Villatte Naples comes in one size with two container choices: ceramic ($120) or bubbly clear glass ($75); each candle has a 60 hr. burn time. (Since my Delhi candle review, the Astier de Villatte candle line has become more widely available in the U.S.; Barneys New York carries a large selection of Astier de Villatte candles.)
Candle Tip: I’m a fan of Astier de Villatte candles, but, just like Cire Trudon and other high-end candle makers, there are successes and failures (scents you can barely detect) in its fragrance blends. When I spend $75 or more for a candle I do NOT want subtlety…I want to smell the candle as it burns and I require it to scent at least one large room. I try to buy scented candles in person; if a candle’s aroma is weak as I sniff the hard wax, I don’t buy that candle. Avoid purchasing candles unsniffed, just like you avoid buying perfumes without trying them first.
I wish we could all meet at Caffè Gambrinus for a perfume congress; Subject: Gourmands! I hope everyone who’s celebrating Thanksgiving has a fragrant, flavorful, and happy day.
Note: top Image of Caffè Gambrinus, Napoli [cropped] and middle image, "La bella Napoli" (1893) - "Im Gambrinus" via Wikimedia Commons.
* Let’s not be unkind and say “garbage” — that civic problem has been solved, at least for now!
Kevin,
I’ve been to Naples twice and I have sat outside at Caffe Gambrinus…so thanks for the memories of wonderful food and sights.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Filomena: you’re welcome!
Oh I agree about wanting to really SMELL an expensive candle. I just love my Seda French Tulips candle any time of year, because it is so floral and uplifting. I really don’t like any “holiday” fragrances because they are so trite and edge into the Yankee Candle territory. I have French Tulips out now and I just feel festive and happy- white flowers and greenery for the holidays.
Yes, the Seda candles and incense are well scented…I’ll have to sniff French Tulips next time I see it.
An olfactory trip to Naples – what an ideal form of winter denial!
noz: it can’t be denied…I’m about to crawl under the flannels and down and try and get warm!
OOOH sounds lovely…the pastry shop, naples, candles….all far away for me! never mind, i was gifted nespresso variation pack with vanilla, chocolate and cherry flavoured coffee capsules….those together with creamy frothed full milk, with two pieces of homemade wholewheat challah…dipped i extra virgin olive oil….wait not altogether, this morning was the dark, slightly boozy cherry! Funny it all goes with the borneo i have been loving and wearing…Thank G-d for our senses!
Oh I want to go there! Did you gain some excess body mass there?
HKM: I didn’t gain an ounce because I usually am walking/running about from sun-up till bedtime on vacations…esp. in cities like Naples. I didn’t even mention the gelato breaks! HA
🙂
What a lovely review! Thanks Kevin (I did chuckle at your line re Luciano Pavrotti). I also avoid the orange and cinnamon cliches this time of year (actually I avoid them all year but ESPECIALLY now) and agree that if I’m shelling out loads for a SCENTED candle it had better bl**dy scent the room it’s in. This sounds as if it does the job beautifully. Happy Thanksgiving from across the pond.
Dona: thank you!
Sounds like a great home scent for winter! I love how the notes are so different from the scent you describe.
I might have to try this one… (buttery almond pastry filled with sweet custard… There’s no way that can be bad anyway! :))
Timothy…good to smell those notes AND to eat them. HA!
My family and I stayed in a hotel just a couple blocks down from there when we went to Napoli. This would be an excellent gift for the ol’ mom.