hand poured Saffron & Ginger scented candle

Saffron:

Saffron appeared all over the world with farms and the wealth it brings spreading throughout Europe, Asia, America and Africa. That said, saffron is very much an oriental product today for many reasons: over half of global production is in the area between Afghanistan and Iran in what was once the Persian Empire. Most of the stamens used to make the spice are hand-picked by women in this region.  

Ginger: 

Ginger has become an essential aromatic ingredient all over the world. Every continent uses it for its many assets but it grows primarily in a part of the world which undoubtedly explains why it conjures up far-flung lands when you smell it: the vast majority of all forms of ginger are grown in the Far East nowadays. China and India produce and distil over half of ginger.  

Saffron:

We all think that saffron is an oriental spice but it\'s actually more complicated than that: the plant originated in Europe, spread around the continent as the Roman Empire expanded then returned to Europe. Other similar varieties were grown in India and China for thousands of years. There are now fantastic saffron farms in France that capture the aroma and flavour of far-flung lands! 

Ginger: 

As is often the case when it comes to fragrances, the etymology whisks us away to exotic lands: the word "ginger" comes from the Arabic word "zenj" which merchants used to describe the spice and people living on the east coast of Africa. By extension, the word describes Zanzibar itself... but the adventure doesn\'t end there! Let\'s go back in time and up through Africa to Ancient Egypt where ginger was the spice of eternal life and used to give immortality through mummification. Ginger has been used for its many healing properties for thousands of years in China and all over Asia. Modern science has confirmed its medicinal properties on countless occasions. Did you know that Medieval Europe saw ginger as an aphrodisiac and scientists have proven it? Try it for yourself.    

Saffron:

Saffron is a small crocus that loves Mediterranean climates. It grows wild in the Provence garrigue and Corsican scrubland. These same climate conditions (well-drained soil, semi-arid land, dry summer breezes) are found all over the world... along with saffron. The best time to pick the flower is in mid-autumn after the rain so the flower is full of fragrance, and at dawn as the flowers die soon after opening.   

Ginger:

The ginger fragrance is extracted from the rhizome, a subterranean plant stem packed with nutrients, aromatic resin and essential oil. This part tends to undergo steam distillation to obtain the precious aromatic essence. Naturally, every soil type produces a colour with different aromatic notes, but how dry the ginger is before distillation can also produce different scent characteristics and degrees of spiciness. All forms of ginger are mainly grown in the Far East nowadays as the tropical perennial plant has a real fondness for heat and humidity. 

Our fragrance experts in Grasse, the world capital of perfumery, have paired saffron and ginger to create this oriental combo. Saffron is key to countless oriental and spicy fragrances as it gives them leather, pepper and even tarmac notes with a hint of honey:  it goes beautifully with warm and spicy ginger…

The Saffron & Ginger  scented candle belongs to the Spicy scent family, A rich and diverse scent pyramid:

Top note: Ginger, Mandarin, Saffron

Heart note: Peppery Rose, Cedar, Cinnamon

Base note: Cedar, Sandalwood, White Musk

Saffron is the most precious spice around. It symbolises wealth and natural beauty. Some artists believe the beauty of its flowers can only be rivalled by the colour of the spice taken from the stigmata. The Saffron crocus is purple but the spice itself is "saffron yellow". The spice alone is called "red gold" because of the rich saffron colour and signature aromas. A single flower conjures a little rainbow.  

Ginger is among the most popular spices and has been in Europe since the Middle Ages. It\'s such a key ingredient in Asian cuisine that it instantly brings to mind the Far East when it hits our nose or palate. It\'s so fresh that it\'s called "green" in fragrances and can give depth to citrus scents or a spicy zing to woody ones.