002

Rhubarb, Pear & Blackberry

Some fragrances immediately know what season they belong to. This wasn't one of them.

When I first smelt this fragrance, I assumed it would become a summer candle.

Rhubarb usually has that effect. It's fresh, bright and has a natural sharpness that instantly makes you think of longer days and open windows. But the more time I spent burning it, the more it surprised me.

As the fragrance develops, the pear softens the rhubarb, the blackberry brings depth and the plum quietly appears in the background. Instead of feeling like a summer candle, it becomes something much harder to define.

It's fresh enough for spring, light enough for summer and rich enough to carry comfortably into autumn.

That's exactly why 002 earned its place.

Fragrance Notes

Top
Rhubarb

Heart
Pear, Peach

Base
Plum, Blackberry

What does it smell like?

The opening is unmistakably rhubarb.

It has that crisp, slightly tart freshness that's instantly recognisable, but it never becomes sharp or acidic. Instead, it gives the fragrance a brightness that feels clean and natural.

After a little while, the character begins to change. Pear and peach introduce a gentle sweetness, although not in the way you might expect. Rather than smelling like individual fruits, they simply round everything out, taking away the sharp edges and allowing the fragrance to settle into something softer and more relaxed.

It's only once the candle has been burning for a while that the deeper notes really begin to reveal themselves. Blackberry and plum don't suddenly dominate the room. They sit quietly underneath everything else, adding richness and helping the fragrance linger without ever becoming heavy.

I think that's what I enjoy most about 002.

Nothing shouts for attention.

Every note seems to understand its role, creating a candle that feels balanced from beginning to end. It's equally at home on a kitchen table with the windows open as it is in the sitting room on a cool September evening.

Why I chose 002

When I started planning this collection, I realised I naturally kept choosing deeper fragrances.

Woods.

Spices.

Amber.

They're the fragrances I personally enjoy and, judging by what many of you buy, they're the fragrances a lot of ambustum customers enjoy too.

What the collection needed was something to bring a little more freshness without feeling completely different from everything else.

That's exactly what I found here.

002 broadens the collection without pulling it in a different direction. It still has the balance and depth that I look for in every fragrance, but it introduces a brighter, fruit-led profile that makes the whole collection feel more complete.

It's probably the candle I'd recommend if someone wanted to experience Small Batch for the first time because it seems to suit almost every home and every season.

About ambustum Small Batch

Small Batch gives me the freedom to work with fragrances that sit outside the permanent collection.

Sometimes that's because I've always wanted to explore a particular fragrance family. Sometimes it's because a test candle keeps drawing me back until I realise it deserves a place.

Every numbered release is hand poured in small batches and produced in limited quantities. Some will return in future collections, while others will only ever exist once.

That's part of the enjoyment. Every year brings a new collection, and every number has its own story.