Wasabi
Loewe

If you hadn’t considered wasabi, the spicy horseradish that adorns sushi and soba noodles, to be an appropriate scent for a candle, think again. As with their notorious tomato and mushroom candles, Loewe have captured the Platonic ideal of wasabi without replicating it literally. The result has a musky and earthy bouquet, without any of that head-clearing hotness you associate with sushi.

Milk Bun  
Earl of East

If you have ever been to a Japanese bakery, you may have spied the almost cartoonish fluffiness of milk bread, also known as shokupan. With a deeply caramelised, glossy crust giving way to a yielding, cloudlike interior, chewy sourdough this is not. Earl of East has captured the bread’s subtle, yeasty sweetness in a well-designed holder, which can be used as a mug for coffee once the candle is burned.

REPLICA Matcha Meditation
Maison Margiela

The vegetal earthiness of matcha is ideal for those seeking a morning boost without the caffeine shakes of coffee, and Maison Margiela’s Matcha candle honours the more Zen qualities of the powdered green tea. Infused with benzoin resin and refreshing bergamot, it is a testament to the ritual and grace demanded by the Japanese beverage. The very essence of peace and contemplation, the candle would be perfect for a relaxed yoga session or indulging in a gong bath.

Chantilly (Whipped cream)
DIPTYQE

Inspired by the lightly sweetened cream that adorns all matter of cakes, meringues and choux buns, Diptyque’s Chantilly captures the heavenly frothiness of its namesake. Far from the cloying intensity you might expect from vanilla, the candle is pleasingly delicate: picture a dollop of cream atop some fresh berries in the afternoon sun, and you’ll get the picture.

Croissant
OVERDOSE

Too much time spent on Instagram Reels has made me yearn for those gargantuan flaky croissants that emerge from bakery ovens all over Paris. Thankfully, Overose has captured that buttery bliss in a candle: lit on a lazy morning, with a coffee and a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice, you might as well be walking on the Seine, pursuing a torrid love affair and smoking a lipstick-stained cigarette.

Choco Mascarpone
BYREDO

With malty notes of coffee, brown sugar, and chocolate, this candle from Byredo epitomises that masterpiece of Italian cookery, the tiramisu. Like that dessert, Choco Marscapone shines in its balance, how each of its rich ingredients do not overpower one another.

The Peachy Candle
Peachy Den

The nectar sweetness and slight sharpness of peaches is notoriously difficult to portray in scent form without falling into the vaguely vomit-y territory of fake peach flavour. Thankfully, this candle from peachy den is so realistic you might have to stop yourself from some Call Me By Your Name action. Ideal for all the fruity lovers out there.