Perfect for Winter – What Does Clove Smell Like?
Spring and summer bring about the scent of flower blossoms, summer rains, ocean tides and sandalwood. It’s invigorating and fresh and leaves one feeling optimistic and ready for adventure. But once the autumn season rolls around and heads into the crisp chill of winter, we long for something more warm and homey — like clove!
Clove is just one of those scents that you probably know, but you can’t place. So let us remind you. What does clove smell like? In this ultimate guide, we will discuss the clove spice in full detail, explain what it smells like and offer a list of our many candles with clove notes.
Where Does Clove Come From?
Before we dive into what clove smells like, let’s talk about what it is and where it comes from. Clove is essentially a spice used in a lot of desserts and cocktails. This spice, which resembles a small nail, sometimes a crooked nail, is actually a dried flower bud taken from the clove tree. Clove trees are a type of evergreen tree that is native to the eastern Indonesian Maluku Islands, also called the Spice Islands.
What Does Clove Smell Like?
To many, clove calls to mind delectable desserts and drinks like cookies and mulled wine. Some think of little pomanders, tree decorations made of clove-stippled oranges. So one could easily say that clove smells a lot like Christmas or the winter season. But that would be underselling this lovely little culinary spice. When, in fact, clove can present a wonderful grounding scent for a lot of candles, reed diffusers and other aromatic products that are for much more than the holidays.
But to someone who is not used to its unique wintry scent, what does clove smell like exactly? Clove is often described as being spicy and sweet, but with a warm and woodsy foundation. Often, it can even have a fruit top note that further lends to the sweetness.
The Benefits of Clove
Clove offers several benefits, many of which have been known about and used for some time now. And, no, it wasn’t always used in pies and drinks. In fact, cloves have been incorporated into medicinal aids as far back as the 6th century BCE. The Charaka Samhita recommended cloves and cardamom to be used as a digestive aid. The clove and cardamom mixture was wrapped in betel leaves and betel nuts and chewed after meals, which is said to increase saliva production to help digestion and, conveniently, also make someone’s breath smell better.
Today, we still use cloves in the same way. Only now, we understand how it works. Cloves, or more so its oil, creates an antiseptic and anti-inflammatory compound called eugenol. Eugenol is frequently used to help relieve pain through its numbing qualities, which is why chewing on a clove bud is often recommended as a natural pain-reliever. The Charaka Samhita also suggests cloves as an aphrodisiac.
What Scents Go Well with Clove?
Clove is a warm, spicy scent that pairs well with other autumn-like scents. Woodsy scents like sandalwood and musks also lend themselves well to clove too. When choosing a Homesick candle with a clove note, pay attention to the other complementing fragrances. Fruity notes like orange, plum and apple are perfect with clove.
And it’s safe to say that anything else nutty and spicy lends itself nicely, enhancing the clove bud aroma too. Cinnamon, which is essentially dried tree bark, as well as cedarwood, sandalwood and more woodsy aromas are a safe bet, as are warmer resin-derived scents like amber and Frankincense.
Miss Your Grandmother's Cooking? Order a Grandma Candle That Smells Like Her Kitchen
10 Clove-Scented Candles and Scents from Homesick
Clove is a scent that will warm your heart and lift your spirits. And igniting a Homesick candle with notes of clove will do the exact same thing. So if you love the smell of homemade mulled wine simmering on the stove during winter or the aroma of freshly baked cookies straight out of the oven, we have the perfect clove-scented candle for you. Of course, many of our scents are also offered in reed diffusers too. Here are some of our most popular candles with the lovely scent of clove. We hope you love them as much as we do!
#1 The Grandma Kitchen Candle
Nothing beats the delightful smell of Grandma’s kitchen. If you have memories of crowding her cooking space, eagerly awaiting the timer to go off for her freshly made pies and snickerdoodle cookies, then the Grandma candle will make you salivate. And – more than likely – make you want to pick up the phone and tell her you miss her.
With top notes of butter, apple and cream that offer a savory touch to the sweet cinnamon and clove, this delectable candle calls to mind Granny’s warm apple pie a la mode with a scoop or two of ice cream. Sugar and spice and everything nice –– you have to get your hands on this dessert- and treat-inspired candle with its clove notes.
#2 The Apple Orchard Candle
If you love Granny’s famous apple pie, then we guarantee you’ll also love the Apple candle. With top notes of red apple and mandarin leaf paired with mid notes of clove, cinnamon sticks and pear, the sugary fruitiness really shines through. Igniting the Apple Orchard candle will transport you straight to an apple-picking farm in autumn, where you drink hot apple cider along with a sugar-dusted apple donut. It smells like fall, y’all!
Enjoy the Smell of Clove? You'll Love Our Apple Candle!#3 Aquarius Candle
As part of our Zodiac collection, we present to you the Aquarius candle. An idealist who appreciates love and honesty, this Air zodiac-sign-inspired candle will waft its way into your heart. With top notes of dark, moody fruits like fig, plum blossom and cassis, paired with mid notes of refreshing mandarin, coconut and tamarind, this candle offers many of the same warm, spicy scents that the clove spice does. Base notes of ylang ylang, pomegranate and rose mimic the scent of a bowl of hot mulled wine on a winter evening cozied up by the fire.
#4 The U.S.A. Candle
Hello, hello Miss American Pie! Nothing is as American as apple pie, with a puffed up top crust full and bulging with tart Granny Smith apples. And lighting up one of our U.S.A. candles will inspire you to plan a cross-country road trip from sea to shining sea. With top notes of apple, of course, along with spices like clove, nutmeg and cinnamon, it offers a sweet and savory fragrance that mingles together nicely. Round it out with underlying base notes of vanilla, tonka bean and musk for an industrious city-like scent too.
What does Tonka Bean smell like? Tonka bean smells a bit like an Old-Fashioned cocktail with an amarena cherry on top. Deep, warm and rich, tonka bean is commonly used as a base note in many Homesick candles to help blend other scents. The best part? The longer a candle burns, the stronger the underlying tonka bean shines through.
#5 The Autumn Hayride Candle
The smell of clove is associated with winter goodies, but it can also bring to mind autumn too. Luckily, Homesick has an entire collection of candles designed with autumn-inspired scents for those who love the season of fall too. We already introduced you to one — the Apple Orchard candle — now let’s show you the rest.
If you love the crisp fall air blowing in your hair and the scent of fresh hay, then you will love our Autumn Hayride candle. This fall-inspired candle features all your favorite Amun scents poured into one exclusive candle. Top notes of warm amber both soften and accentuate the clove, shining through brilliantly. More warm spicy scents of nutmeg paired with a woodsy birch and maple bark will make you want to visit a Vermont maple farm too. Rich tonka beans paired with patchouli and oakmoss add a depth like no other.
#6 Pumpkin Picking Candle
Another fall-inspired candle is our Pumpkin Picking Candle. After all, autumn hayrides and pumpkin patches pretty much go hand in hand. In this candle is a cool fall day filled with colorful fallen leaves that twirl with each gust of wind and a mug of warm apple cider. Top notes of pumpkin and nutmeg carry this pumpkin picking candle, as other warm spices like ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg elevate it into the final result of your jack-o-lantern: delicious pumpkin pie and toasted pumpkin seeds.
#7 Oktoberfest Candle
While clove is often used in mulled wines, this little but powerful spice is no stranger to beer either. Beer and Brewing lists clove as a key ingredient to pumpkin ales and Christmas beers — no surprise there! Since clove is a classic end-of-year spice, it really fits the bill for candles that smell like October and beyond. But instead of mimicking pumpkin patches and holiday cocktails, we wanted to also pay tribute to another harvest holiday — Oktoberfest!
The Homesick Oktoberfest candle has all the scents of this seasonal celebration: golden hops, pumpkin ale, allspice and more. Igniting this candle will make you feel like you’re gathered around a picnic table with friends, each toting a stein filled with beer. Prost!
#8 The Backyard BBQ Candle
Oktoberfest is a huge beer festival. But if kicking back with a beer is your everyday thing, then you’ll appreciate our Budweiser Backyard BBQ candle. This perfect American pairing features top notes of tangy lemonade, nutty allspice and warm clove to give it a hoppy, celebratory scent. Overall, this candle smells like you’re hanging out watching the fall football game with good friends and a cooler of cold brewskies and a hot grill on standby. This summery Backyard BBQ candle might not be winter-inspired like the rest, but the clove will kick off the end of season like a solid touchdown.
#9 The Nutcracker Candle
Since clove is such a quintessential Christmas scent, we can’t complete this list without a holiday candle. The Nutcracker candle is the perfect candle for folks who absolutely adore a good spicy, nutty aroma. Cinnamon, clove and pecan offer a warmth to this candle's scent, as sandalwood, wintermint and vanilla carry it throughout your festive home during the holiday season. Light this candle on a winter’s night with a crackling fire to feel like you’re surrounded by loved ones and family. The Nutcracker candle also makes a perfect holiday gift for friends and coworkers too!
#10 Spring Cleaning Candle
If you love the smell of clove all year round, then get yourself the Spring Cleaning candle. Since clove is often used as an antiseptic, the scent is one that leaves us — and our homes — feeling refreshed and clean. With top notes of lime for a zesty punch, along with bergamot, clean linen and clove leaf, this Homesick candle will give any room that rejuvenating spring scent. Musk, vetiver and basil balance it all out. It’s not just for the sprint, either — pick up a Spring Clean candle anytime of year!
Shop Homesick Candles with Clove and More!
If you love a nutty, spicy yet sweet scent, then you will love clove. Explore all of our eight Homesick candles with clove bud scents and clove-like scents to make your home feel festive, whether it’s for fall or winter. Clove adds a warmth that simply makes you feel good inside. And with a Homesick candle, you can make your home smell exactly like Grandma’s kitchen, a pumpkin patch, or a winter mantel during the holiday season. Shop Homesick candles today to find the perfect scent for you!
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