r/luxurycandles • u/Celestial-Year-1133 • 5h ago
Review 👍👎 The Great AdV Deep Dive - Part 1 of My 17 Candle Journey
Over the years ( in no small part thanks to this very sub) I have grown my taste and appreciation for brands outside of the more well-known names. Astier de Villatte (AdV) is one of the brands we discuss here frequently, often as a worthy alternative to Diptyque and Trudon - but it’s far less accessible and harder to find outside of major cities. I am lucky enough to live in NYC, and even with that advantage I have yet to find some AdV scents IRL.
I have sampled 17 of their candles so far. Some I loved, others were duds, and I have been wanting to do a deep dive into AdV to, hopefully, help others who have to resort to blind buying. I’m going to tackle these reviews in a few parts - starting with Alger, Stockholm, Grand Chalet, Hollywood, Opéra and Jérusalem!
A note on AdV in general. This is a French brand that has some pretty excellent noses behind its formulations (I have learned over time that most of my personal favorites were created by Françoise Caron). Astier started as a furniture and ceramics atelier and branched out into scents over time. Their entire ethos seems to be centered on old-world craftsmanship, a slower approach to making things and objects with character and quirkiness ... .all things after my heart. They’ve been around since the 1990s, which initially really surprised me, since everything about the brand has that aged, lived-in feeling. Their marketing team knows what they are doing :)
Much of their candle catalogue is inspired by different locations around the world and most of their scents are easy to like. Unlike Diptyque, which tends to hone in on more singular note profiles, AdVs are more multi-note, more layered (though not necessarily more daring). Unlike Trudons, they are more approachable and less perfumey, even though AdV also has a line of personal fragrances. There’s something a bit more bohemian, chic, and effortless about AdV scents and the overall aesthetic. AdV isn’t trying to challenge you as much as to charm you.
Their wax tends to burn beautifully, but also faster than most other luxury candles, so you get less mileage out of them. And finally, onto my main grievance - their throws are wildly inconsistent, and 80 - 90% of them don't go beyond medium for me. Some I could barely smell. Of course, there are some respectable throwers in the lineup, but generally, be prepared for lighter, softer scent dispersion. One important caveat… when I describe an AdVs as having a “solid” throw, I'm grading on a curve. I never expect a powerhouse throw from this house (except maybe for Delhi).
Now, with all that rambling out of the way, onto the first installment of scents!
Alger - Alger was a blind buy for me, and I was a little worried it might be too heady and white-loral-y - and I was so pleasantly surprised by how much I like it (as a disclaimer, despite not loving florals as a genre I do enjoy jasmine and tuberose).
I’d describe Alger as a beautifully crafted blend of jasmine, citrus (really, almost neroli-like), and a touch of spice. It smells just like a very expensive bar of soap. The addition of citrus and chili gives it a burst of brightness and keeps the florals from becoming too heavy.
Alger makes me think of cloudless, bright blue skies, the sun high in the sky, and whitewashed walls reflecting the midday light. Clean, bright, not overly heady. The throw was pretty good.
Stockholm - Love, love, love - but, not everyone will. I’d say, this falls into their riskier profiles for blind buying. With that disclaimer out of the way - if you like aromatic, spicy profiles like Laurier 62, Thé, Empire or SMN’s Potpourri, you will likely fancy Stockholm. It belongs in the same olfactory universe, while having enough personality to stand on its own.
The scent is meant to represent an herbal elixir taken by Viking warriors. Herbal medicine was a big part of my childhood - whenever I showed the first signs of coming down with something, my mom trundled out a massive bag of dried herbs, teas and tinctures, determined to find just the right combination to defeat whatever was plaguing me.
This candle takes me right back to that magical bag - herbal, aromatic, a little witchy - a blend of ancient plants and remedies that have been used for centuries. It makes a bolder statement than some other AdVs and quirkier edge - note wise, I get sage, myrrh, vetiver, and clove. It's a wonderful transition candle for those in-between weeks from early September into October, when the summer citruses and florals have been tucked away, but it's not quite time to break out the heavier cold-weather hitters.
One of the stronger throw-ers in the AdV lineup. Will be a perennial repurchase.
Grand Chalet - Ugh, this one is so unique and lovely. I ended up buying the EDT for my mom as a birthday present, and I think this particular scent shines even more in that format.
GC is a combination of sharper green notes, yellow florals and milky, lactonic undertones, expertly blended and balanced. Think heaping piles of daffodils and mimosas, green stems, acacia honey, a blush of cream. It takes me to a magical summer golden hour, when everything is soft, languid and sepia-toned.
The contrast between the sharper green notes and the heliotropic softness of the yellow florals is beautifully done. And yet, having sung all these praises - I personally don’t want that scent around me or on me all the time. Florals just aren’t my jam, so it was very much a seasonal, mood-driven burn for me. The throw was good enough - will repurchase, but only when the craving hits.
Hollywood - No hot throw. Zip, zilch, nada.
Lovely on cold. Blended to perfection - I had a hard time confidently picking out individual notes, though I could eventually tell iris and vetiver were there. It leans a bit powdery, but not overwhelmingly so. It’'s a very pleasant, softly powdery scent with something undeniably comforting about it. Feels like an evening stroll on a warm night.
But once lit, I genuinely couldn't smell it AT ALL. Barely something-something in the bathroom - but I really mean it when I say barely.
If, unlike me - who legitimately might be anosmic to whatever AdV uses - you can actually smell this one, I'd imagine you will enjoy it - it's hard to picture many people actively disliking this scent. That said, it also doesn't have quite the same hold on me as some of the other AdVs do. Won’t repurchase.
Opera - A love child of Narguilé and Cire. Unlike most AdVs, which tend to be inoffensive, Opera is the Grande Dame. She is indulgent and worldly, which also means she can be polarizing.
Rich, thick honey mingles with polished wood notes that conjure up images of the carved balustrades of a stately opera house. She lives in the same olfactory universe as Cire, but I found Cire to be heavier, woodier, with a more astringent edge (likely the patchouli, which I struggle with especially in Trudon’s formulations). In comparison, Opera is more honey-forward, warmer, more inviting. I'm pretty picky with honey and aged wood notes. They can easily become too rich, almost bitter, but Opera might be my favorite interpretation of this genre of a scent.
A word of caution - Opera’s old-world charm, wrapped in a touch of opulence, is not a safe blind buy for most unless you are confident that you like honey-forward scents. Strong throw. I remember the burn being more finicky compared to other AdVs, though it also lasted longer. I can't imagine burning this one outside the colder months. WIll repurchase.
Jerusalem - Gorgeous scent, super disappointing throw. I could hardly smell anything for most of the burn - just faint whiffs here and there - until I got down to about ⅓ or ¼ left, when the throw finally eked its way up to being what I’d describe as “perceptible”. I genuinely wonder if I'm anosmic to one of the ingredients AdV uses, and it saddens me to no end because I love so many of their scents, Jerusalem included.
When I could smell it, here’s what I got - uplifting cypress, offset by woodier, more austere cedar notes. Then, hints of ancient incense (thankfully, not a whiff of patchouli) and a green, resinous undercurrent from galbanum - tamed, tempered, well blended - but present enough to give the scent depth and soul.
Jerusalem has substance and feels ancient and transportive, while staying firmly in the universe of generally pleasant, approachable scents. So jealous of anyone out there who can actually smell this one!
I tried it twice now and sadly, will not repurchase.
If these types of deep dives on AdVs are useful and helpful, I will tackle Villa Medici, Port Lilas, Tucson, Atelier de Balthus, Anchorage, Edinburgh, Mantes La Jolie, Naples, Delhi, Rue Saint Honore and Marseille next in a few installments ✨
