At the end of February, Jonathan Ward invited me to his Hackney studio for a semi-secret encounter with his latest candle: Assassin Belarus. This creation was truly ‘undercover’ at that point, with a launch date set for mid- March.
On that first encounter I avidly attempted to pinpoint exactly what ingredients in this mysterious fragrance were working to deliver warmth, freshness, fulfilment, and something I can most succinctly describe as ‘masculinity’.
Of course, I wasn’t able to pin anything down. I can no more identify a note in perfume than I can in music. In fact, I’m almost superstitiously afraid of learning to do so. Would I still get the same shivery, yearning pleasure from my favourite records if I could break the melody or the bassline down note for note? I don’t think so. And as it is for music, so it is with fragrance. I want to be overwhelmed by the whole experience.
Assassin Belarus – the inspiration
One of the elements of a Jonathan Ward candle that I most adore is the way in which Jonathan shares his inspiration for each fragrance he creates. With latest release Assassin Belarus, Jonathan Ward has aimed to capture and contain in black glass a ‘delicious’ evocation of espionage.
Assassin Belarus is inspired by the story of George Koval, who in 2007, was posthumously awarded the highest title of the Russian Federation. Why? Well, according to President Putin’s proclamation: “… Koval, who operated under the pseudonym Delmar, provided information that helped speed up considerably the time it took for the Soviet Union to develop an atomic bomb of its own”. The calmness and sang-froid with which Belarus-born, Iowa-raised Koval is said to have been able to hide in plain sight at the very heart of American Cold War initiatives is astonishing.
So, how does Jonathan Ward convey this story of east/west tension and subterfuge?
In Jonathan’s own words: ‘… Clandestine & covert/Whispers behind hands/Coded and cryptic/Nightingale feathers in storm’ – extract from the legend inscribed on the black and gold box of Assassin Belarus, that teases and tempts you to discover the secret within.
Assassin Belarus et moi
This candle conjures an atmosphere of mystery and intoxication. The fragrance settles gently and lingers: it’s appetising and tantalising. Never dominating or overwhelming, it nonetheless insinuates itself well beyond the bounds I expect it to keep to. I’m surprised at how far through my flat this delicate fragrance penetrates. There’s a paradox in this candle too. It is soft, warm, calm, and comforting – visually too, with those twin flames dancing behind black glass. But there is a wild quality to the fragrance, almost like a call to hunt.
I scribbled the following words down in one wild rush after spending a few evenings with Assassin Belarus, and they came hot from my sub-conscious mind.
“Over-familiarity is the death of passionate love. Assassin Belarus evokes the mystery and the haunted/hunted nature of true passion, that particular state of abandonment in which one is wholly prepared to lose oneself in pursuit of another …”
PLEASE NOTE: I’m well aware it sounds as though I’m auditioning for Private Eye’s Pseud’s Corner, but what can I say? These words came into my mind as clearly as though they had been spoken aloud to me by another.
Opening myself up to Assassin Belarus has allowed not just George Koval, but another spy to slink cat-like into the windmills of my mind. I haven’t thought of Sabina – Anais Nin’s ‘international spy in the house of love’ since first encountering her decades ago. Now I find myself impatient to re-read Nin’s classic novel. (NB This is an Amazon Affiliate Link (updated July 2021), and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases: however, DO FEEL FREE to buy this lovely book wherever you choose – consider this an aide-memoire to add it to your bookshelf if you don’t already own it.)
Assassin Belarus – the notes decrypted
At the heart of Assassin Belarus lies what Jonathan Ward describes as ‘a covert accord. The kind of accord that was spiked with secrets … multiple ingredients in smaller quantities that built hushed interest while remaining (almost) singularly undetectable. Powerful discretion. A clandestine meeting of Virginian Cedar-wood and a beautiful Sri Lankan nutmeg, an extra layer of Russian Birch tar enhancing depth within the depth.’
An extra layer of Russian Birch tar, you’ll note – because the dark and haunting wildness underpinning this fragrance comes from a ‘dark peat like Base’ created with Amber, Birch, and Patchouli.
And the top notes come (almost exclusively) from organic Sri Lankan black pepper. This really took my breath away. I’d been so busy looking for a combination of top notes, that I hadn’t paused to consider for a moment that Jonathan Ward would have had the confidence to allow just one perfect note to take such a lead.
Assassin Belarus construction … the X-Ray
I have gone into great and glorious detail about the exemplary manufacture of Jonathan Ward candles elsewhere on this site. Ward’s production process produces a candle with 35-45 hours of burning time and his signature ‘continuous burn’ technique allows those candles to burn safely for long periods of time. Read this earlier review to see why I rate this brand every bit as highly as Lalique, and believe there’s no better value candle on the market.
My Assassin Belarus candle is a press sample (thank you Jonathan!) without which I would not have been able to give you a meaningful review, as candles give up their nuanced secrets over time and are best enjoyed in the comfort of one’s home.
Assassin Belarus (615g) is priced at £48.00 and available at jonathanward.me
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all imagery in this post courtesy of Jonathan Ward
Postscript … Why Candles (and other delightful things) Lighten Dark Times
I was chatting recently with a journalist friend and was surprised to find that her publication doesn’t consider it appropriate to feature candles at the moment. (The thinking being that they are too luxurious for lockdown.) I think the opposite – I firmly believe they’re a psychological necessity!
I live on the top floor of my building, and I don’t have a garden, a balcony, or even a fire escape to allow me any degree of private outdoor space. And whilst I’m grateful to live in London, and to be only twelve minutes from the West End by tube, this does mean that my area offers no opportunities for forest-bathing, or peaceful enjoyment of green spaces.
So, I’ve been relying on my scented candles to lift my spirits and relax me. I lie peacefully on my sofa or in the bath; contemplating nothing taxing or depressing, and allow my thoughts to wander. Often I contemplate how beautiful my limbs look by candlelight; always I think about how candles help humans to visualise and give form to our thoughts and emotions. They are used to symbolise hope, prayer and wishes, and to comfort us when we are sad.
We all have reasons to be sad at the moment, but we also have reasons to hope. From this time of deprivation and loss, I hope that we will emerge clearer on what we value, and determined to fight for those things that are truly important to us.
I understand that luxury publications and their readers might feel uncomfortable at being seen to promote spending on pleasurable things at a time when so many people are facing ruin. But I think they’re taking a disastrously wrong tack. I’m one of the people facing ruin. The virus ended all my contracts, and – as it was only in January that my self-employment picked up enough for me to risk giving up the part-time PAYE work that had ensured a regular income over the last four years – I’ve fallen right through the government’s extremely loosely-woven safety net.
It’s a possibility that I might be forced into bankruptcy, which I suppose would mean I’d have to give up this site, amongst other things dear to my heart. That’s bad enough, but if my favourite businesses have been forced to close too, because those that could afford to continue buying withdrew their patronage in a misguided attempt at solidarity with those in my position? That’s a horrific prospect! So, if you have a little money to spare, but feel guilty about treating yourself to nice things, please don’t! We need to ensure that creators and the independent businesses we treasure survive this difficult time: continuing to support them is essential, not indulgent.
STOP PRESS!
Buy a Jonathan Ward fragranced product in the month of June 2020, and 20% of sales are donated to charities supporting the betterment of black lives.
All imagery courtesy of Jonathan Ward
Assassin Belarus was gifted to me by Jonathan Ward.
The only #affiliatelink in this post is the one which takes you to Anais Nin’s classic novel A Spy in the House of Love
