We love hearing from our customers and your feedback on the candles. We thought who better to ask than Ben, a fellow candle fanatic who, just like us loves, the new Yankee Candle Signature Collection. You may know Ben from Instagram as @purplerain3121 or his famous cat Cheesy Nacho @cheesynacho__!

We asked Ben to write a piece on his candle journey and review some of the new fragrances for us. If you haven't tried the new Yankee Candle Signature Collection, you will want to after this!

“You don’t surely need another candle Ben?!”

That is something I hear a lot.

“But I do” is the default response.

Where it all began...

I love Yankee Candle. It's just that simple. It's fair to say I am new to the scene compared to the Yankee Candle veterans who remember the days of Nature's Paintbrush, Pink Lady Slipper or Meadow Mist. I remember walking past our local Yankee store, which is now sadly closed, and decided to check it out.

I must have passed it hundreds of times without it costing me a thought but for whatever reason, that day I went in and started lifting the candles. The first thing I remember thinking was just how lovely it all looked. Everything was colour coordinated, the artwork on the candles were fantastic and as someone who works in retail, you are always noticing these things no matter what store you are in. The first candle that really caught my attention was “Driftwood”. I kept coming back to it that day and decided to buy a small jar of it. I hadn’t bought a Yankee before, or any candle for that matter, so I figured a small jar would do for now.

I planned on a lazy afternoon and lay up watching some TV and lit the candle. It didn’t take long for the room to fill with the most beautiful scent and I was quite amazed at the power of that tiny jar!

I felt that the aroma in the background really enhanced my enjoyment of my lazy afternoon and I was really glad I took a chance on the candle. From there, I soon realised that a candle is not just something you buy as a decoration but it is an experience.

Fast forward a few years, I started a new job in a pharmacy and just by chance, it turned out they had a small Yankee Candle section in their store. Any chance I had I was over sniffing them (and buying them) and it didn’t take long that I was assigned the Yankee Candle section as one of my departments to look after. Fast forward another few years and the small Yankee offering in the store grew substantially to say the least! It is a good job they are a big seller otherwise I would have a lot of explaining to do about my ordering!

From here, my collection grew as did my passion for the brand. I tried other brands but nothing compared to Yankee Candle. I like Woodwick too but that is an extension of the Yankee family.

When I saw the new Signature Collection on the American sites, I was so jealous and wanted us to get them here in the UK and Ireland. It took a while but finally the news came that we were getting them here! Despite having enough Yankee Candle classic jars on my shelves to start my own candle shop, I wasn’t going to wait and use them up before trying the Signature range.

The first thing that struck me about them was the wax change from paraffin to soy and the double wicks. I had been extremely impressed with the Elevation range Yankee had so I figured Signature would be of a similar quality.

I had bought off Candle Warehouse online before and had always been fascinated by their huge range of products. I had seen pictures of the store and there really is nothing of this scale up here in Northern Ireland where I am from. I also know through social media that the staff are very friendly and helpful so I decided I would go on a candle road trip to Kildare to celebrate my birthday. (I think my first Candle Warehouse purchase was Alpine Morning and it was outstanding)

 

Ben's visit to our CandleWarehouse store 

Once I got to the Candle Warehouse, (over 2 hours drive from my home) the first thing I saw was a vast and beautifully merchandised Woodwick section.

I have never seen so much choice and I very easily could have spent all of my money on the Woodwick before I even saw anything else. However, this trip was made especially to get my hands on the new Signature collection.

I got seven of them that day and I have to say, it wasn’t easy deciding which ones to buy. In the ideal world, I’d have them all but these jars are new and they are more expensive than the classic jars. Don’t let the higher price put you off though because I can tell you now, they are worth it.

I bought the following candles:

• Sage & Citrus (Tumbler)

• Amber & Sandalwood (Tumbler)

• Art in the Park (Tumbler)

• Vanilla Crème Brulee (Jar)

• Wild Orchid (Jar)

• Lakefront Lodge (Jar)

• Lilac Blossoms (Jar)

I have been working my way through them and I have to say that these are an improvement on the classic Yankee Candle jars, especially as far as performance goes.

I am not picking fault with the old style but these candles do pool quicker, which is great for when you don’t have enough time in one session to allow a full pool of a classic jar. They throw very well and they throw very quickly. You don’t have to wait long for the room to fill with the wonderful fragrance.

They also burn exceptionally clean. There will be no wasted wax as the jars burn down evenly and the glass remains clean throughout. They really are a premium product. They are to me, an improved candle which is an amalgamation of the classic jar and the Elevation style.

They also use soy wax which is a big reason in the improved performance. Visually the candles are very impressive. I admit, they are a very different style to the old jars and I do love the old labels but when you see these new jars I’m from of you, they are much nicer than the online pictures do justice. Especially the tumblers.

The art is also hand drawn which makes it special. They also last for quite a long time despite having two wicks and slightly less wax. This must be due to the new type of wick used by Yankee Candle for these jars.

I could not possibly pick a favourite from the ones I purchased as they are all different and each one is better suited to a particular season, theme or mood. I haven’t used them all yet either as I have a lot to get through.

 

Sage & Citrus smells beautiful and the fresh scent filled my room in very little time. I get the herbal notes and the citrus combined but there is also a fresh powdery scent with this candle, which lingers in the room even after the candle is extinguished. The colour scheme of the wax and the artwork is also beautiful.

Amber & Sandalwood is very elegant and mysterious. It has a very deep range of scent notes but it isn’t overpowering. It was not one I intended on buying but once I lifted the lid and gave it a sniff, it was straight into the basket!

Art in the Park is a wonderful blend of fruits and florals. I get jasmine and apple as the dominant notes but I also get watermelon. I am unsure that is one of the notes in the description but I do get that impression when it is lit.

Vanilla Crème Brulee is a triumphant food scent. It isn’t like the food scents of before though. This is not as heavy and overpowering. I found previous food scents to be overpowering and best used in small sessions. With this however, I want it on all day. Its the perfect sweet bakery scent. A real highlight so far.

I have not lit Wild Orchid yet but if the other candles are anything to go by, I have no concerns about how it will perform. On cold sniff, I get deep florals, orchid as expected but I also get a nice powdery impression over it. This candle is a very rich scent and I can imagine it will be a fan favourite. Also, the colour and visuals of the jar as wonderful and I find that the visuals are very important part of the candle experience.

Lakefront Lodge has not been lit yet but I don’t know where to start with this one. I was taken by surprise by this as it is possibly one of the nicest cold throws I have encountered in years. This scent is very deep and I guess it is masculine in that it has an aftershave quality to it. But it really captures the image on the label. You really can smell the aqua, the greens of the moss and trees around the lake and the deep musky scents of the cabin. I don’t really know what I am smelling if I am honest. All I can say is that it is a truly remarkable and impressive scent.

Lilac Blossoms hasn’t been lit but it is visually my favourite of the candles. It’s simple yet the perfect purple colour is remarkable. Lilac Blossoms needs no introduction as it is a fan favourite from years ago but I can only imagine that it will be better than ever in this new and improved Yankee Candle format.

So far all the feedback I have seen in the Yankee Candle fan community seems to indicate that these new candles are being received very well.

I understand some people will have reservations as the changes are many. I would say to anyone who is on the fence about moving from classic to signature,  that the performance of these candles will quickly alleviate any doubts that you may have.

It is also worth noting that these candles are not a replacement for the classic range as a selection of these will continue to be available. Signature is simply an additional member and also the main member of the Yankee family.

Yankee Candle have in my opinion, created a serious upgrade to the brand and offered us a premium and luxurious experience to enjoy.

Ben :)