The Ultimate Fall Scent? We Smelled 24 Yankee Candles To Find It

Rating: 4.3/10

Fragrance notes: Black elderberry, blueberry, blackberry, patchouli

Tester reactions:

• "Smells like artificial blueberry candy. Far too sweet."
  
• "Does not feel like fall."
  
• "The good: It smells like açai and blackberry. The bad: It's too sweet for me, borderline cloying."
  

Rating: 4.5/10

Fragrance notes: Orange, pear, peach, raspberry, musk

Tester reactions:

• "This smells like artificial fruits—which might be nice if you burned it in a more open space like a kitchen."
• "I kind of like the mix of citrus and fruits together."
• "There's too much going on. The notes were muddled and I couldn't tell what I was smelling."

Rating: 5/10

Fragrance notes: Brown sugar, caramel, praline glaze

Tester reactions:

• "I didn't get much apple from this one, it leaned more caramel-y."
  
• "This has a more pistachio scent to it."
  
• "Overpowering without much balance."
  

Rating: 5.1/10

Fragrance notes: Cinnamon sugar, gingersnap, apple spice, banana

Tester reactions:

• "The banana note smells like banana pudding, which is a nice deviation from all the basic pumpkin candles."
  
• "Smells like fresh baked banana bread with a hint of pumpkin, but it has a bit of that candy banana fragrance."
  
• "Smells like Banana Laffy Taffy, mixed with caramel and freshly baked goods."

Rating: 5.7/10

Fragrance notes: Ripened raspberry, strawberry leaf, cranberry, black cherry

Tester reactions:

• "This smells like a grape Jolly Rancher, which is fun—but not fall-esque."
• "This would be a great November, pre-holiday scent. I like cranberries, so I wish it were more tart. It's quite sugary."
• "The cranberry is pretty potent, sweet, and overpowering. Kind of smells like grape juice..."

Rating: 6/10

Fragrance notes: Bergamot, pinecone, autumn spice, tobacco flower

Tester reactions:

• "Very vintage-y and cozy."
  
• "It's a very typical 'masculine' scent profile. It reminds me of cologne or aftershave, very fresh, and woody."
  
• "A nice and cozy scent for someone who doesn't like pumpkin spice everything. It's piney and forest-y, but it has vanilla and a general sweetness that differentiate it from Christmas tree candles."
  

Rating: 6.1/10

Fragrance notes: Cinnamon sugar, glazed icing, brown butter, caramel

Tester reactions:

• "Smells like fresh baked cookies without being too saccharine. The notes of vanilla and maple come through nicely."
  
• "I get notes of warm maple and caramel, but with a pumpkin spice kick."
  
• "Smells like pumpkin with a hint of popcorn."
  

Rating: 6.2/10

Fragrance notes: Pomegranate, orange blossom, white pine needles, birch leaf

Tester reactions:

• "I like that it feels very ~fall~ without being straight-up pumpkin. It smells a little cider-y which is nice."
• "This is a fresh, earthy scent that will make any room feel more elevated. It's not offensive at all, but it's also not a typical fall fragrance."
• "I expected something earthier, more woodsy. It’s on the sweeter side of things."
  

Rating: 6.4/10

Fragrance notes: Bright bergamot, lemon peel, orange zest, spiced clove

Tester reactions:

• "Smells like warm pumpkin pie, exactly how you'd expect it to smell."
  
• "This smells like a PSL in a candle, it's sweet with a spice kick. Definitely a traditional fall candle."
  
• "Too sweet for my taste but it's great if you like sweet, spicy scent profiles."
  

Rating: 6.4/10

Fragrance notes: Pink pepper, cinnamon, leather, tobacco

Tester reactions:

• "Doesn't necessarily scream fall to me."
  
• "A more masculine scent, reminds me of Bath & Body Works Mahogany Teakwood, or Abercrombie & Fitch cologne. Your son or husband might like this one."
  
• "Has a lavender vibe which is unique for a fall scent. Delivers a cozy night-in feel."
  

Rating: 6.5/10

Fragrance notes: Fuji apple, golden honey, cinnamon bark, clove

Tester reactions:

• "This is mulled apple cider in a jar, if you're into that. It's got a more balanced sweet to spice ratio compared to others."
  
• "Reminds me of apple butter, which is one of my favorite fall treats."
  
• "Very cinnamon-heavy and kind of smells like potpourri."
  

Rating: 6.7/10

Fragrance notes: Citrus, sage, patchouli, moss

Tester reactions:

• "A subtle scent that feels almost cologne-like. Would be a good option to layer with other scents, because it's not super overpowering."
• "This is warm and rustic and a little chocolatey. It definitely gives off cabin vibes in a good way."
• "Reminds me of the woods after rainfall."

Rating: 7/10

Fragrance notes: Red hot cinnamon, vanilla, musk

Tester reactions:

• "Smells like cloves which I love in the fall! If you don't like spice, steer clear."
  
• "Out of all the spice driven options, this one has a balanced feel. A very fall scent."
  
• "I like the spicy notes! Smells very nostalgic for me."

Rating: 7.1/10

Fragrance notes: Grapefruit, eucalyptus, lemon, oakmoss

Tester reactions:

• "A good early fall option! It has citrusy notes that brighten it up and make it stand out from the others."
  
• "Warm, cinnamon-y and caramel-like."
• "VERY citrus forward, which is just not what I'm looking for in a fall candle."

Rating: 7.2/10

Fragrance notes: Apple, cinnamon spice, nutmeg, cherry

Tester reactions:

• "This smells like cozy sweaters to me! This is the type of candle you'd burn on a chilly day when you're bundling up in blankets and reading by the fire."
  
• "The two notes that jumped out to me the most are cherry and nutmeg, which was a unique combo, but it feels more holiday than fall."
  
• "Smells like a spiced apple cider."
  

Rating: 7.5/10

Fragrance notes: Pine, clove, patchouli, eucalyptus

Tester reactions:

• "This one smells like clean sheets! I want to burn this in my bedroom right after cleaning for an extra fresh autumn vibe."
  
• "A soft, woody scent that reminds me of freshly fallen snow."
  
• "Feels seasonally-agnostic. I'd burn this any time except summer."
  

Rating: 7.5/10

Fragrance notes: Citrus, nutmeg, spiced pumpkin, cinnamon, vanilla

Tester reactions:

• "I love that you can actually smell the pumpkin along with the spices. It smells like fall and has a very nostalgic quality."
  
• "Smells like Halloween in the Northeast."
  
• "Isn't spicy enough. It needs more hints of clove, but it really does smell like pumpkin, just in an artificial way."
  

Rating: 7.6/10

Fragrance notes: Apple, butter, baked pumpkin

Tester reactions:

• "A nice blend between apple and pumpkin without either note overpowering the other."
• "Smells like baking apple crisp and pumpkin pie in the kitchen—without being too sweet."
  
• "A bit run-of-the-mill."
  

Rating: 7.8/10

Fragrance notes: Apple slices, cinnamon cider, sugar, nutmeg

Tester reactions:

• "Not the most sophisticated scent out there, but if you want your home to smell like apple pie, it's perfect."
• "Smells like apples cooking on the stove!"
• "Very strong and has a spice kick to it, the cinnamon comes through for sure."

Rating: 7.8/10

Fragrance notes: Vanilla, cashmere, silk, sandalwood

Tester reactions:

• "Hints of clean laundry—feels very fresh, while maintaining that cozy feel I'm looking for in a fall candle."
• "This would make for a great signature home scent, since it works in all seasons."
• "A cozy cardigan vibe."