JO MALONE ENGLISH OAK & REDCURRANT CANDLE

It’s been a while since I’ve done a candle review, so I thought I’ll share my latest candle purchase on the blog. I do love a nice scented luxury candle, although I tend to buy supermarket brands as well. I personally think luxury candles are worth the splurge, but I know this topic been discussed to death online. The thing is, scented candles are more popular than ever and then there’s the rise of the ‘mandle’ (candle for men) which clearly goes to show that scented candles aren’t just for women anymore.

Jo Malone is one of my firm favourites and although I’ve tried many other luxury brands, I keep going back to Jo Malone for some reason. I wouldn’t say the candles are good value for money, but does everything have to be? I wouldn’t have dreamt of buying one when I was a student, but now that I’m a so called ‘grown up’ with 2 small children, I do think it’s my right to pamper myself every now and then. We all spend money on different things and I guess luxury candles just are one of my (many) obsessions. I’m sure some of them are a total waste of money but usually you can smell the difference between a high quality candle and a cheaper version. When you buy expensive candles the scent tends to be much more subtle and less chemical due to high quality essential oils.

I visited my local Jo Malone branch last week, looking for my old favourite scent White Jasmine & Mint only to be told they had discontinued it. It’s such a shame but I do understand they have to make room for new scents too. My favourite summer scent is the Peony & Blush Suede candle but since it’s autumn I wanted to try something a bit different. The sales rep introduced me to their latest Autumn scent English Oak & Redcurrant and although the candle didn’t quite convince me, once I smelled the cologne I was sold.

Tasting Notes according to Jo Malone

Top Note: Redcurrant
An intensely fruity note with a tangy, juicy clarity which brings a sparkling contrast to the oak woodiness in the fragrance.

Heart Note: Rose
As the fragrance unfurls, this opulent floral, with its spicy, honey facets wraps the scent with sumptuous texture.

Base Note: Roasted Oak
A warm and compelling woody note that gives the addictive quality of roasted oak.

I was so excited to test this candle, but I was also a little worried it wouldn’t be able to compete with my old favourites. I placed the candle in our large open plan kitchen/dining room and it took about 30 minutes before you could really smell the scent once it was lit. The scent was absolutely heavenly and stronger the longer I was burning it. It’s still quite a subtle scent. In fact, my husband claims that it’s not strong enough, but I beg to differ. The scent kind of reminded me of the Diptyque Baies candle, except I found  the Jo Malone English Oak candle a little bit more overpowering (in a good way). If you like fruity, floral scents with a hint of roasted oak, you’ll love this candle and the cologne. Jo Malone always seem to get the balance just right which is why I love their scented candles. I haven’t been as impressed with their reed diffusers which is why I tend to stick only to their scented candles.

I do think this scent is ideal those cold Autumn evenings. Just remember to follow the instructions and the candle will last for ages. Jo Malone candles usually last me at least 3 months (I burn them at least once a week). The first burn is the most important one, so don’t be tempted to burn the candle longer than the maximum recommended time which is 2 hours. I often light one once the kids have gone to bed and I finally get a minute for myself. I’m always on the look out for new candle recommendations, so if you know a candle brand that is far superior to anything else you’ve tried, let me know. 

Read my Christmas candle review here!