Rigaud Cypres is one of the best-known names in scented candles, and the story behind it is part of the appeal. In this post the history comes first, then a closer look at the notes and some practical advice for burning it.
By Candles Off Main, Contributor Lynette Reed: Fragrance fanatic, founder of Illume Candles, Izzy Sayan Perfume, Fluid Fragrances, and creative consultant to many high-end fragrance brands.
If you consider yourself a scented candle fan, and you don’t know the story of Rigaud, then do I have a little candle history for you! Rigaud has been around for quite a while, since 1852 when Jean-Baptiste came to Paris to collaborate with the laboratories Grimault & Cie, who were famous for their aromatic products.
Jean-Baptiste soon made his way into the world of perfumery and “hit upon the idea that introducing a new aromatic plant would be like adding a new note to my keyboard, as it were, and that only on that condition would I be able to create new products bearing the stamp of originality.” His first major innovation was his essence of Ylang-Ylang followed by the Kanaga flower of Japan.
He eventually became the official perfume supplier to Her Majesty the Queen of the Netherlands, then to the royal family of Greece, and finally perfumer-distiller to the Russian Imperial Court.
This however is where the story becomes very interesting for us candle lovers. “Eventually Henri Rigaud’s son Mario, the grandson of Jean-Baptiste, took over the company and in the 1960s, his wife Viviane turned the boutique into a veritable private salon, like a boudoir where a great lady receives her peers.
A lover of homes and interior decoration, blessed with unerring taste, Viviane Rigaud was also an innovator. With her husband, she was the creator of the first scented candle. Mario Rigaud developed and patented an innovative wax formula.
This was an original formula for a soft wax whose main characteristic was that it perfectly revealed the natural ingredients that make up the Rigaud perfumes and allowed them to be faithfully transmitted. And that is how the Cyprès candle was born – dark green in color, presented in a container of hand-blown glass, tied with a red ribbon and with a silvered metal snuffer cap.
It was the 1960s, and the Rigaud Cyprès candle was an international success. The scent of the Rigaud candle soon became the height of chic in well-appointed homes, and even in the White House when Jacqueline Kennedy was its mistress.” Read More Here History of Rigaud Perfumes.
And there you have it, the beginning of the scented candle. When you bring Rigaud into your home it’s a part of candle history, and if it was favored by Jacqueline Kennedy, you know it must be refined, elegant and quality.
I’ve personally had Rigaud in my candle repertoire for years, as I carried the line in my Illume store back in the 1990’s. The Cypres candle is the first scented candle, and still one of the finest on the market.
Rigaud’s description reads “I bring all the richness of the Mediterranean forests into your home. I am timeless, generous, refined. I create a perfect harmony that is a blend of the aromatic sweetness of lavender, the woody, crisp notes of pine needles, and the powerful aroma of cedar wood.”
Top notes: lavender – bergamot
Middle notes: scots pine – hyacinth
Base notes: cedar – oakmoss
A perfect gift for the candle aficionado in your life or even better yet, a gift for yourself!
Reading the Rigaud Cypres notes
The notes listed above follow the usual three-layer pattern. Lavender and bergamot are the top notes, which you smell first. Scots pine and hyacinth sit in the middle. Cedar and oakmoss make up the base, which is what lingers after the brighter notes fade.
Rigaud’s own description talks about the Mediterranean forests, the sweetness of lavender, the crisp pine needles and the strength of cedar wood. If you like green, woody scents rather than sweet ones, that combination is a good sign. If you prefer gourmand candles, it will probably feel quite different from what you are used to.
That is why a rigaud cypres candle often appeals to people who already like cedar, pine and herbal scents. It is a green and woody blend with lavender and bergamot lifting the top, and that matches the Mediterranean forest idea in the description.
Rigaud Cypres is a candle for people who enjoy green scents.
A fair question is whether Rigaud Cypres still smells modern; the only way to know is to light one.
Burning a collectible candle with care
The original Cypres candle came with a silvered metal snuffer cap, which is more than decoration. Putting a candle out with a snuffer, or by dipping the wick into the wax and lifting it back up, usually makes less smoke than blowing it out. It also helps keep the wick tidy for next time.
Trim the wick to about a quarter of an inch before lighting, and let the wax melt across the whole surface on the first burn. A candle with this much history deserves an even start. Keep it away from drafts, and never leave it burning when you leave the room.
Treat a Rigaud Cypres like any good candle and give it a long, even first burn.
Exploring more from the Rigaud range
If the review makes you curious, we have covered other candles from the same house. Start with Rigaud Candles for a general overview, then look at Rigaud Bois Precieux for a different take on the brand.
For readers who like the story behind scented candles, the scented candle article on Wikipedia gives a wider background. Whatever your taste, a first-hand sniff at a store is the surest way to know whether this rigaud cypres candle suits your home.
There is something satisfying about a candle that dates to a particular moment. Even if you only burn it on special evenings, the Rigaud Cypres candle is a conversation piece, and the review calls it a perfect gift for a candle lover or for yourself.
To sum up, the Rigaud Cypres candle is worth knowing whether or not you buy it. Rigaud Cypres is tied to the story of the scented candle, it has a clear green, woody personality, and it makes a thoughtful gift. If you are new to the brand, starting with Rigaud Cypres is a sensible choice.
Header photo: Emil Kabanov, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0).
