Shearer Candles Highland Red Rose Whisky Goblet

Two years ago when I first got into buying Shearer candles of Scotland products I was initially attracted to a specialist “souvenir” candle I first discovered at a tourist site in Edinburgh. The actual candle was encased in a silver open lantern, a bit like those wind-lanterns you can buy and inside sat a round candle in a golden tartan glass. The design was as eye catching as the scent that filled the room and I never thought to ask at the time who made the candle, as the scent was very warming to the nose and very refreshing. So when I came across Shearer’s website, I was pleased as punch to find the actual candle I had found and in 2010, purchased the “Highland Red, Red Rose Whisky Goblet,” candle jar, at a cost price of around £15 as it came with a classy red gift box and the same golden tartan painted glass candle tumbler measuring 9.3cm high by 7.9cm diameter. Now two years later, Shearer still have this very candle on sale with the same tasteful Tartan banner red round gift box at a cost price of £17-00 and originally I bought the candle for my mum, often wondering where it had gone to as I never saw it ever being used. That was of course until I re-discovered it recently, hidden away where clearly my mum wanted to use this candle for a special occasion.

Design & Quality

In terms of appeal, Shearer candles of Scotland are very much a premium candle company, having produced candles since 1897, a fact that you’ll find written in gold on the product label adorning the round, red gift box that this whisky goblet candle is encased in. All of their candles are hand poured and ensure good quality level burning – provided that you keep the candle on a level surface in the first place! Although Shearer has a candle shop based in Govan, Glasgow, you can buy candles direct from them or consider Amazon UK.

Over the years I’ve also discovered that their products can often be found on sale in private garden centres to major hotels, either on sale or in actual use to scent rooms for special occasions. Earlier on in the year when I went to a wedding for one of my best friends in Edinburgh, there were plenty of “Amber Noir,” and “Highland Red, Red Rose, “ Shearer candles being burnt at a well known hotel and notwithstanding for its Tartan banded glass, the ivory cream colour of the candle is also stately, classy and unassuming to the eye.

In use, the candle jar has a heat insulated base but not the sides when the candle is lit. Once the candle is all used up, the glass can be washed out using warm or hot water to loosen any left over wax and used as intended – a whisky goblet!

What Does It Smell Of?

This is a flowery candle with a difference. Red roses of course are the order of the day, but this candle scent isn’t at all like the sneeze inducing “Fresh Cut Roses,” by Yankee Candle – the formula promised by Shearer seems to hide a thick composition of romantic male tinged cologne surrounded by rose petals and a fairly distinctiveness that makes this candle quite unique. It is a scent that I’ve grown to love although due to the price of this candle, it is a relative “once-in-a-while” occasional/seasonal scent I save up to buy compared to the weekly wax tarts by Yankee Candle!

The first tones that emerge out of the candle readily seems to be a combination of pink and red rose petals – but they seem to have been steeped for a very long time to produce a warm and inviting flavour with champagne like depths and less of that chemical smell that other “rose” candles tend to reek of. Thus, the second tone of warm sandalwood seems to come across very slowly, almost too afraid at times to grow against the delicate aroma of roses whilst the base tone has the tinniest of fruit added, almost like strawberries without too much sweetness. When it all merges together, this is a scent that you may feel you’ll be able to feel as relaxed as I do whenever I have this candle burning.

Strength & Delivery

Shearer candles aren’t like Yankee Candle in the sense that they will stink out your home, but this whisky goblet candle has a 40-hour burn time duration and burns very slowly whilst at the same time able to put out a decent amount of scent. In terms of strength, I find the candle can last up to two rooms, provided that you have windows firmly closed and like all candles sit with it whenever it is lit. Despite the lower burn time compared to the price of other brands and their associated products, I find this scent to be most enjoyable and it lifts my spirits as well as my mood.

One bonus to this candle that seems to sit with other Shearer candles is the fact that when the flame is extinguished, there's hardly any after tone of paraffin.

Other Formats & Downsides

There are three different versions of “Highland Red, Red Rose,” available by Shearer candles and all have slightly different designs with prices added automatically as they all come in gift boxes, adding to the cost of the overall products;

Highland Red, Red Rose Chalice 3-wick candle, 40 hr burn time £20-50.
Highland Red, Red Rose Pillar single wick candle, 100 hr burn time £17-00.
Highland Red, Red Rose Whisky Goblet, 40 hr burn time £17-00.

Largely the downsides to this product is the cost price – but then again I’ve bought candles before from companies like Molton Brown who offer the same burn time but price their candle ranges from £28 and upwards – and aren’t as strong as Shearer candles – or have a gift box idea that is unique and looks better to give as well as to receive! Shearer’s chalice candle has a quote from our very own Robert Burns etched on the glass – proof that one candle company isn’t afraid to dabble with a unique “batch” design – to appeal to individualists.

Final Thoughts

Generally speaking it has taken me some time to pull myself away from spicy candles and embrace flowery candles, but mostly I find myself returning to what I like best – and Shearer candles have been a more unique company who have allowed me to grasp unusual combinations that put a new take on things where flowery scents are concerned. I will be buying Highland Red, Red Rose again, that’s for sure, even if I’m out by a month if the “sweet melody played in June,” from the traditional Scots song is anything to go by. Thanks for reading! ©Nar2 2012.

www.shearer-candles.com