INSPIRATION BEHIND THE 'CAVE TROLL' CANDLE

From dwarven mines to alchemy labs, the goal of Mythologie Candles is to add enchantment to everyday life and immerse you deeper into another world.

Whether setting the scene for a gaming night, watching a movie or a dinner party with friends, each candle is uniquely designed to transport you to another realm, and our new scent, 'Cave Troll' is no different!

We chatted with our founder and Celtic-Metal artist LEAH (Leah McHenry) to find out more about her inspiration for the 'Cave Troll' scent.

How did you originally get into fantasy?

Back when I was a kid I didn't have a ton of access or awareness of all the fantasy novels and movies out there. It really started with music as an escape to another "world" of sorts, and then when I started learning about history and the legends of King Arthur and Camelot and those stories, I instantly fell in love. Later on, I learned about Tolkien and Lewis, and Ren Faires and all that sort of thing... and there was no going back after that.

What about fantasy do you love?

Stepping into another world or realm where things are similar yet different, and so many possibilities are "real" for a moment is, I think, what appeals to all of us. I especially love the medieval fantasy vibe, whether it's artwork, home decor, or actual historical castles and places.

I love the fantasy aspect because you don't have the Black Death and disease-carrying rats or horrible living conditions of the time, haha. But there are also such amazing things about the real history too.

How did you come up with the idea for a troll inspired candle?

Early on in Mythologie Candles, I knew I wanted to release candles that no one else had done. I frankly have never heard of a Cave Troll candle in my entire life, especially one that smells very interesting and real! I think it would make the PERFECT candle for reading a fantasy book or a D&D campaign.

What was your inspiration for the scent?

I wanted this Cave Troll to be a more general troll that would work with whatever game/movie/book you're into. I have an art book about Trolls by Brian & Wendy Froud, and there's a lot of fantastic sketches in there that I also drew upon.

What about the scent creation - was it difficult to get the right one, how did you figure it out?

This is the part I'm most excited about -- the actual scent! The idea was to create a very realistic-smelling candle that reminds you of being in an actual damp, dank cave.

The trick for me, was trying to get it to smell like a cave troll, while still making it a pleasant scent. So realistic, but not gross. What I ended up with is really fantastic!!!

It's like a very mossy, damp, earthy scent with dirt, mushrooms, and even a bit of fungus, with a nice citrus/floral finish.

Trust me -- this smells like the real deal, but it's also somehow ADDICTIVE. Like, you can't stop smelling it. Weird, I know. But I think that's why this candle will be the ultimate immersive experience.

As for my process, I went through several iterations of this scent to get it just right. I mix and test the fragrance oils myself, blending many different notes together, and work with a perfume house to formulate it perfectly for our wax.

I might be the most excited for this scent, ever!

What do you hope people will get from this candle?

Well first, I hope people will first be prepared -- this is unlike any other candle you've ever experienced. It is NOT meant to smell like something you get from the big box stores or the big name brands. This is supposed to be an immersive candle - meaning, you light this when you're reading your favourite fantasy fiction, watching a scene of fighting orcs, or playing a tabletop game.

Second, I hope people fall in love with this very unique candle. It somehow is the perfect Spring candle too, because of how damp and mossy it is.... like Spring rain dripping down large rocks and settling into the dirt & mushrooms below. So hard to describe - so you just have to experience it for yourself.

I think this is a candle you'll be telling your friends about!