WoodWick are all about pairing and layering, their new Trilogy Collection does this perfectly, with 3 distinct layers. A lot of my favourite fragrances are often comparable to some of my favourite drinks, which got me thinking; the way food and drink can be paired together, why not do the same for cocktails and candles to discover a new scent?
I love the ambience and mood a candle and its scent create, and whilst I’m not a big drinker (I enjoy having less but indulging in the drinks I do have), I do love a cocktail; espresso martini being my favourite…along with anything which includes Baileys and red wine. Since we now have a completed dining area, and with the colder months upon us, I wanted to learn a few of mine (and your favourites) to enjoy at home whilst relaxing with candlelight, making your home cosy on these darker and colder evenings.
Using the guide below, you can get my tailored and tweaked recipes, each of which I have paired with some of my favourite candles, based on their fragrance notes, which complement each other. It may (hopefully) help you find new scents you love as much as I do.
Ingredients below based on making two drinks, therefore adapt recipes accordingly.
ESPRESSO MARTINI
Ingredients
Handful of ice
25ml vodka (personally I prefer vanilla vodka)
35ml Tia Maria or other coffee liqueur
35ml fresh espresso
Coffee beans, to garnish
Method
Chill martini glasses in the freezer for at least 20 minutes before serving.
Add ice to cocktail shaker
Followed by vodka and Tia Maria, Kahlua or other coffee liqueur
Lastly, add the coffee
If you like these sweet like me, add more liqueur to sweeten
Shake vigorously for 20 seconds
Strain into the chilled glasses and top with coffee beans and drink is ready to be served
Would be paired perfectly with the below candle scents;
Café sweets – Relax with the warm, natural scent of pure vanilla bean, caramel and biscotti.
Oudwood – Alluring amber and aromatic oudwood fused with creamy vanilla and undertones of smoked incense.
Warm Wool – Fragrance Notes: Citrus Blossoms, Sweet Orange, Fresh Apple, Smooth Sandalwood, Patchouli, White Amber, Vanilla and Sheer Musks.
Vanilla Bean – Relax with the warm, natural scent of pure vanilla bean. Fragrance Notes: Sugar Cookie, Graham Cracker, Vanilla Bean and Sugar Cane.
MULLED WINE COCKTAIL
Ingredients
50g light muscovado sugar
2 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
2 cloves
75ml water
1 lemon
2 clementines
75ml Cointreau
375ml/ light red wine
Twist of orange zest and a star anise, to serve
Method
Put muscovado sugar in a pan; add 1 star anise, 1 cinnamon stick, 2 cloves and water. Bring slowly to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
Simmer for 2 minutes and then pour into a jug and leave to cool.
Add 1 thinly sliced lemon and 2 clementines to the jug along with Cointreau and a light red wine.
Serve with a twist of orange zest and serve in heatproof glasses.
Would be paired perfectly with the below candle scents;
Pomegranate – Crisp, complex pomegranate with notes of cassis, soft florals, and rich undertones of rum and musk.
Sacred Smoke – Palo Santo woods mingle with spiced cloves and musky deep notes, pine needles with a hint of Cinnamon.
Black Amber & Citrus – Black amber with rustic notes of tobacco, musk, and mandarin.
Fireside – Cozy and rustic with the scent of a warm, crackling wood fire.
WINTER SPICED PEAR COCKTAIL
Ingredients
100ml gin
50ml lemon
50ml pear syrup
2-egg white
Spiced Pear Syrup
8 pears
2 star anise, plus 1 more to serve
2 cinnamon stick
500g caster sugar
Method
Put the Spiced Pear Syrup ingredients in a pan with 500ml water and simmer for 20-30 minutes until the flavours have infused.
Add gin, egg whites, lemon and then the pear syrup into a cocktail mixer
Open the cocktail shaker, add ice and shake again
Strain into a chilled coupe (or glass of your choosing)
Place a star anise on the foam to serve.
Would be paired perfectly with the below candle scents;
Spiced Blackberry – blackberry and cinnamon filling inside a flaky, vanilla-drizzled danish.
Cinnamon Chai – Sit back and relax with the warm comforting aroma of spicy cinnamon and rich vanilla.
Smoked Jasmine – Delicate jasmine petals laced with warm cedar and smoky incense.
Black Plum Cognac – Black Currant, Cassis, Mandarin, Anise, Espresso Bean, Cognac, Red Pear, Dark Vanilla, Rich Amber, Patchouli.
Black Amber & Citrus – Black amber with rustic notes of tobacco, musk, and mandarin.
PORNSTAR MARTINI
Ingredients
2 ripe passion fruits
60ml vanilla vodka
30ml passoa
1 tbsp lime-juice
1 tbsp sugar syrup
Prosecco
Method
Scoop the seeds from one of the passion fruits into the glass of a cocktail shaker
Add the vodka,
Passoa, lime juice and sugar syrup.
Add a handful of ice and shake well,
Strain into glasses and top up with prosecco,
Top with halved passion fruit
Would be paired perfectly with the below candle scents;
Fruits of Summer – Pineapple, Lemon and coconut.
Fig – Ripe fig melds with nuances of rich cassis, elderberry, and earthy patchouli.
Rosewood – Roseberry and soothing tea accord unite with cedarwood and musky notes.
BRAMBLE
Ingredients
100ml gin (I like to use Rhubarb Gin)
50ml lemon juice
1 ½ tbsp sugar syrup
Ice cubes or crushed ice
1 ½ tbsp crème de mure
2 lemon slices and blackberries
Method
Shake the gin, lemon juice and sugar syrup and ice in a cocktail shaker
Strain into a rocks glass full of crushed ice.
Drizzle the crème de mure over the top so it ‘bleeds’ into the drink.
Garnish with the lemon slice and blackberry
Would be paired perfectly with the below candle scents;
Currant – A refreshing blend of sweet currants with a hint of juicy tangerine.
Black Cherry – The sweet and indulgent scent of juicy, black cherries, Sugar Cane, Pomegranate Seeds & Blackberry Jam.
Radish & Rhubarb – A fresh bouquet of citrus, crisp greens and ripened berries, Including Rhubarb, Apple, Raspberry, Cinnamon, Fresh Herbs, Caramel & Pine.
Rosewood – Roseberry and soothing tea accord unite with cedarwood and musky notes.
Please drink responsibly. For more information, please visit https://www.drinkaware.co.uk/