Trying To Identify A Home-Decor Scent (yes, a scent!) From The 70s

Cafe Society
1

Harken back with me to the heady days of the mid 1970s. Your home is decorated in hideous earth tones, your teenage children are downstairs smoking weed, while you and your spouse watch The Brady Bunch. On your table you have a candle in a candle holder. The holder appears to be made of rock or clay or something, kind of brown and gritty, like adobe but darker (I mention this because I only remember seeing this particular candle in this particular candle holder). The candle itself is a deep red, similar to candy-apple red. As for the smell: the best way I can describe it is earthy in an exceptionally-strong way. Imagine that the Earth itself offered up to you all of its best-smelling qualities, and then the manufacturer topped it off with some sweet smells like perhaps clove or cinnamon.

Does this ring a bell for anyone?

2

I’m no authority or expert on scents, but I would suggest

as a place to start zeroing in on the actual substance or at least aroma.

I was a fan of those things back in the day and patchouli was close to Number One in my choices.

Incense mostly but other things that had that “smell well” character were nice to know the names of.

Jasmine and even spruce were also nice!

3

Patchouli was the first thing to come to mind for me - also sandalwood, amber, and musk.

4

Patchouli was also the first thing to come to my mind. That’s three out of three now for patchouli. Although sandalwood is a close second in my mind.

5

Could it have been a nag champa scented candle? My mom had a ton of those and incense around the house.

6

I would have said bayberry from the title but after the OP, could it be sandalwood? I think with the last line about a hint of sweetness then another vote for patchouli.

7

I’d guess Musk, which was a popular “masculine” scent for men’s colognes at the time.

8

It’s the smell of Naugahyde. You can blame the candles but the Nauga is not amused.

9

Frankincense? though that’s really incense-y, not musky… I say patchouli is in it.