Maker Notes: Behind the Last Word Candle Blend
Meet Last Word, our newest candle blend, and the latest addition to our series of cocktail-inspired candles. Scented with organic clary sage, mandarin and cedarwood essential oils, Last Word is an intricate blend of citrus, floral, herbaceous, woody and balsamic notes.
This mix of scents reminded me of the cocktail Last Word, which prompted me to name it after the drink. Just like the drink, this candle is a collection of many different scent profiles that manages to balance sweetness and bitterness, and brightness and comfort.
Heart of clary sage
It’s been a year since Plural Supply last launched a house blend candle, and I wanted to create something special with clary sage essential oil. Clary sage is earthy, herbaceous, floral and fruity all at the same time. It’s incredibly nuanced and is one of my favourite scents out there.
To me, one of the most fascinating parts of working with clary sage is finding ways to complement its complex characteristics without overpowering it. Currently, clary sage is featured in one of our best-loved soaps, where it’s paired with lime essential oil. This time, my wish was to develop a candle that could bring out the floral and herbaceous notes in clary sage.
Complements to the scent
Our team considered adding clementine, a citrus scent that lends a sweet, calming note to a blend. However, we hadn’t released any house blends that featured citrus scents other than clementine, and we were keen to try something new. That brought us to mandarin. Compared to clementine, mandarin is a little more complex. It’s sweeter, brighter and little bitter — and we found that it goes well with clary sage.
Finally, we needed an anchor scent. On its own, clary sage doesn’t burn very well, and its scent dissipates quickly. Citrus essential oils, including mandarin, are tricky to work with as well. They start to evaporate at a low temperature, and they tend to disappear quickly. This is where the cedarwood comes in to stabilise and extend the longevity of the blend.
Balancing the blend
We found that with too much mandarin, the scent was overwhelmingly citrus. Meanwhile, too much clary sage made the scent overwhelmingly grassy, and too much cedarwood caused the blend to lose its brightness.
This project began in July 2022, and it took a few months and more than 8 iterations to find the right balance in the blend. In all our candles, we look for a great, balanced scent when a candle is both lit and unlit — otherwise known as hot throw and cold throw — and continued testing until we reached a balance that met this condition.
As one of my favourite Prohibition Era creations, the Last Word drink is a call to enjoy and indulge in little luxuries, even when things are difficult. In the same way, I hope that the scent we’ve captured in our candle helps you light up dark or dull times and find some ease and relaxation in your day.
— J, maker and founder of at Plural Supply
