I’m always on the hunt for candles with a medieval style that can summon the feel of a fantasy world into my home, so I couldn’t resist sampling some of the enchanting scents from Cantrip Candles. Each scent is inspired by Dungeons & Dragons and tabletop storytelling, adding an extra layer of immersion to a campaign night—or simply to a cozy evening at home with a good book. The scent names instantly appealed to me—how could you not want a candle called Hellscape?! And there’s no better way to set the mood for storytelling than with a flicker of candlelight and the smell of adventure.

Note: This is an honest review of my purchase, not an affiliate post.

Cantrip Candles: Scents I Tried

As a creative writer, lifelong fantasy reader, and casual RPG gamer, I love anything that helps transport me to another realm. Scent is a powerful way to feel grounded in the setting. So when I put together my order, I looked for the scents to help me sink deeper into a good book, inspire a late-night writing sprint, and carry me through quiet evenings spent battling darkspawn in Thedas or delving dungeons in Faerûn.

Hellscape

I wasn’t kidding about this one. I had to know what “a super hot blend of chili pepper and charred persimmon” smelled like. It’s definitely an unexpected combination. The persimmon hits first with a deep burst of fruit. The charred scent is subtle and carries just a hint that something was burned without being overpowering. Once you catch the notes of chili pepper, it definitely feels like something—or someone—is about to be grilled.

Hithmari High Desert

After revisiting the short stories in my Legacy Collection that take place in the desert, I was most excited to find a companion scent for that world. The red clay and aloe make a strong first impression: the word “sunburn” comes right to mind. The sagebrush and cactus ease in after the aloe. Breathing in the scent almost has the same cooling effect as smelling menthol, yet it smells like the desert air after the sun has gone down. I haven’t been to the desert since I was a kid, but this candle brought back memories of living in New Mexico, visiting White Sands, and one unbearably hot trip to Phoenix.

Library Scriptorium

A lot of library-themed candles rely heavily on vanilla to recreate the scent of paper breaking down for their bookish aromas, which can make them overly sweet and cloying. I sincerely appreciate Cantrip Candles pairing the scent of parchment with aged wood and leather instead. The leather in particular adds an extra level of warmth, making the whole scent feel deeply comforting. It smells like walking into a room of wall-to-wall bookshelves with a good leather chair and no one around to bother you. I would consider this one of the best candles you could gift a writer or book-lover, no matter what genres they like.

Black Hound Tavern

I’ve been on a quest for a good whiskey-scented candle for a long time. The problem with most of the ones I’ve tried is they bury the whiskey scent under cinnamon, vanilla, or musky amber. I like to drink my whiskey neat, and that’s what I’ve wanted in a candle. This is that candle. Black Hound Tavern evokes the same feeling as sipping whiskey by the fire for an evening of casual brooding. The whiskey scent is delightfully pure without any other distracting flavors added. The smell of dry firewood adds a nice grounding element and keeps the spirit from going to your head.

Den of Thieves

My manuscript is a sci-fi/fantasy heist, so of course I had to get a thief-themed candle! The smell of smoke makes the first impression, but aged leather makes up the main body of the scent. Red wine offers a subtle background note, like it’s being sipped in moderation rather than drunk indulgently. The site mentions Den of Thieves is a good companion scent for Black Hound Tavern and I wholeheartedly agree. All together, the mix of leather, smoke, whiskey, and wine feels like a crew enjoying a celebratory drink after another successful heist.

Bonus Sample Candle: Hemlock

A tea light sample of the Hemlock candle from the Botany: Poison Garden Collection came with my order. Honestly, I was tempted to buy the Botany candles for their packaging alone. They look like elegant poison bottles! Hemlock has a light, fresh herbal scent with just a hint of bitterness suggesting a hidden danger. It’s a beautiful, magical botanical candle that would be perfect for any plant-lover, green witch, or druid.

Closing Thoughts

Among the fantasy candle brands I’ve tried, Cantrip Candles strikes a good balance between affordability and truly adventurous scents. It’s also worth noting that none of the candles I tried had an overly feminine vibe. Candles are a go-to gift, but many are scented and packaged to appeal more to feminine customers. Even the ones that try to be masculine tend to lean closer to a cologne-like scent that tries too hard. Cantrip Candles—at least in my experience so far—is pleasantly gender-neutral in their scents and packaging.

In addition to the Hemlock free sample, my order also came with a surprise box of matches. That’s a wonderful little extra to get with any candle purchase, but I’m absolutely in love with the design. The the shiny prancing fox illustration is so detailed and charming. On the other side of the box, the way the light catches on the metallic words “be cunning and full of tricks” feels like a sneaky wink. That little matchbox is going to be a permanent fixture in my writing space from now on.

You don’t have to be into D&D or tabletop games to love Cantrip Candles. They’re wonderful if you want candles with medieval flavors to add to your fantastical house. Or if you want to enhance your gaming, reading, or writing experience. But if you do want to gift one to your favorite dungeon master, you can get them a 16 oz candle with a metallic d20 inside as an extra special gift.