The Noble Train vs. Evergreen: Same Woods, Different Edge

The short answer: both smell like evergreen trees. That is not the difference. Evergreen is the walk through the forest, rounded and warm underneath. The Noble Train is crisp, clear fir with more of a bite. Same woods, different edge. Evergreen is for evenings. The Noble Train is for mornings.

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Here is a question we get asked constantly: what is the difference between our two winter forest scents?

Let us clear one thing up first, because most comparisons dodge it. They do smell alike. Both are unmistakably evergreen trees. If you are hoping one of them is secretly a citrus candle or a spice candle, neither is.

The difference is not the subject. It is the edge.

A note on the name: The Noble Train was previously sold as Winter Woods. Same scent, same wax, new name. Historians call the winter haul of artillery from Fort Ticonderoga to Boston in 1775 and 1776 the noble train, and that journey ran three hundred miles through cold pine forest. The scent is the forest, not the artillery.

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Evergreen: the walk through the woods

Notes: cypress, pine, tonka bean, eucalyptus

Cypress and pine are the body of it, deep and green. What makes Evergreen what it is, though, is the tonka bean sitting underneath. It gives the green something soft and warm to rest on, so the whole thing rounds off instead of coming to a point.

A trace of eucalyptus at the edges keeps the air feeling clear.

The effect is immersive. You are in the woods, and the woods are not in a hurry. Shoulders down, deep breath out.

Think evening reading, a bath, the moment you finally sit down after a long day.

The Noble Train: the same woods with a bite

Notes: fir, cypress, cedar, lemon peel, moss, amber

Fir leads this one, crisp and clear, the smell of needles snapped fresh rather than a tree standing quietly in a corner. Cedar and moss sit underneath, and a bright thread of lemon peel runs through the top.

There is no soft warm base to round it off. That is deliberate. The edges stay sharp, and the result has a bite to it: cleaner, colder, more bracing.

Think morning coffee, a window opened on a cold day, clearing the air after cooking, the sharpness you feel on a winter walk.

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The thing that actually decides it

Tonka bean versus lemon peel.

Evergreen has a warm base and no citrus, so it softens and settles. The Noble Train has citrus and no warm base, so it sharpens and lifts.

Same trees. One of them sits you down among them. The other one wakes you up in them.

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Room by room

• Kitchen: The Noble Train. The lemon peel cuts through cooking smells instead of masking them.
• Bedroom: Evergreen. Grounding, with no citrus to keep you alert.
• Home office: The Noble Train. The bite helps with focus.
• Living room: Evergreen. The settle-in, stay-a-while scent.
• Bathroom and entryway: The Noble Train. Fresh and clean without being heavy.

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How to use both

Most of our customers end up with both, and here is why that works. Light The Noble Train in the kitchen while you make coffee in the morning. Light Evergreen in the living room or bedroom in the evening. Your home ends up supporting your natural rhythm instead of working against it.

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Shop the two

Both scents come in two formats: an eight-ounce single-wick candle in amber glass, or an eighteen-ounce three-wick candle in our Blue and White Bowl.

• Evergreen Signature Candle, $24
• Evergreen Heirloom Candle, $56
• The Noble Train Signature Candle, $24
• The Noble Train Heirloom Candle, $56

Both are part of our seasonal collection, so availability changes with the year. Browse the full Signature Collection, the Heirloom Collection, or shop all scents.

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Frequently asked questions

Do they smell the same? They smell similar, and both smell like evergreen trees. Evergreen is rounder and warmer. The Noble Train is crisper and has more of a bite.

What happened to Winter Woods? It is now called The Noble Train. The fragrance is unchanged.

Why is it called The Noble Train? Historians use the phrase for the winter journey that hauled artillery three hundred miles from Fort Ticonderoga to Boston in 1775 and 1776. That route ran through cold pine forest, which is what the scent is built on.

Which one is better for sleep? Evergreen. The tonka bean base is calming, and there is no citrus to keep you alert.

Which one is best for a kitchen? The Noble Train. The lemon peel cuts through cooking smells rather than masking them.

If I only buy one? Buy Evergreen if you want the room to feel cozy. Buy The Noble Train if you want it to feel fresh.

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Keep reading

More stories: Evergreen, the Forest Candle for Sitting Still, The Blue and White Bowl, and How Long Should You Burn a Candle?