WHITE BARN EXCLUSIVENESS: Pumpkin Fireside

Products: candle  and wf bulb  
Area used in:  bedroom
Time Period: mid-October - Thanksgiving

Description: Fall Pumpkin, Nutmeg, Vanilla Bean, Smoky Cinnamon

So this was one of many "pumpkin" scents that I bought during the fall preview back in the summer. I went back and forth with this one; I'd sniff it, put it back, sniff it again and then put it right back. At the last minute, I totally YOLO'ed  and put it in my basket to buy. Once I got home, I kinda did get a case of buyer's remorse with some of my purchases, including this bad boy so I decided to do the boyfriend sniff test; any scent that he didn't like would go back to the store. I thought for sure he wouldn't like this one but to my surprise, he did like it; in fact it was his favorite out of the bunch. So I decided to keep and I am soooooo glad I did cuz it is AH-MAZING!!!

The performance on this SOB is DIVINE...STELLAR...FABULOUS! This is by far the most perfect performing I've had so far this month. Nice sturdy wicks with perfect mushroom tops, not too small and not too big. The flames danced like crazy with instant wax pools. And talk about gorgeous - the wax melts into this deep pool of beautiful rusty/brick redness. If the look of this lit candle doesn't give you a fallgasm then I dunno what would. And the throw..OMG..the friggin throw... it has the infamous "warm blanket" throw that I absolutely love! It filled my bedroom with instant frgrance that lingered for hours after I blow it out. Even the wf bulb is strong...which is rare nowadays. It completely fills the room and I could smell on the other side of the door when closed.

And now the scent...the scent threw me for a loop at first. I initially wrote it off as a repackage with a twist of last year's Toasted Vanilla Caramel , which was a weird Fireside-ish burnt wood/burnt sugar/burnt vanilla scent. Then some folks said that it was a repackage of Vanilla Fireside...though I remember that scent smelling like straightup barbeque sauce. There was also a third and more obscure scent that it was compared to - Enchanted Woods from the doomed Forest Collection. I had a wf bulb of that...PF definitely was not that.

So the verdict? I have no clue. I admit defeat, this is the first candle that has totally stumped me!

So right off the bat, there's no pumpkin..no surprise there. There is a hint of spice but it's not "pumpkin spice" but rather cinnamon stick/bark and fresh ungrounded nutmeg, both of which add a depth and extra woodsiness to the blend. I thought I would have a problem with the vanilla as me and vanilla blended scents typically don't get along. I had committed myself to the notion that this would be a spicier "autumnal" version of Marshmallow Fireside and that I would dislike PF for the same reason I disliked MF - that damn vanilla! But PF really surprised me. The vanilla in it is not nearly as obnoxious and intrusive as it usually is in home fragrance. It's creamy and smooth almost aromatherapy-ish vanilla bean that just make the scent smell and feel really mellow. And there's a surprisingly soft smoldering wood note, not too burnt. And there are some notes that BBW is definitely not telling us. So I was talking with my gurl Jenn/@theshow78 and both agreed that there's a lil something extra hidding out in the back, something sweet and earthy but not pumpkin and we both surmised that it might be chestnut.  I also think there might be some sandalwood action as well. Now a lot of folks complained that PF to them smelled meat cooking on the fire...and I could see that and totally understood where they were coming from. However you do NOT get that after you light it - just smoldering wood with a hint of sweetness and a touch of spice. 

I am in love with this candle and now I regret only picking up one cuz now they're getting harder to find. It's such a beautiful scent and it's perfect candle for a crisp autumn night; it just makes your room feel so cozy. Out of all of Fireside/Firewood/Bonfire scents over the years, this might be my fav! I highly recommend getting your hands on one of these! If you live near a WB store or have a candlebuddy or family member who lives near one, see if the store has some to snag...during a sale of course! It's NOT worth spending a crapload of money to buy on Evilbay or Mercari but if you see a cheap (under $25) get it, don't think about it, just get it! Also the wf bulb is still available online!