Most candle brands talk about heritage. Rathbornes 1488 actually has it. Founded on Winetavern Street in Dublin in 1488 by Joseph Rathborne, the company has been handcrafting candles in Ireland for over five centuries — through the Reformation, the Enlightenment, two World Wars, and the rise of every home fragrance trend that has come and gone in between. There is no other candle company in the world with a story like this one.
Five Centuries of Candlemaking in Dublin
From the 1630s, Rathbornes supplied Dublin with candlelight for its streets and lighthouses, creating a safer city for its residents and visiting merchants. Candles provided hope and safety from the storms which threatened sailors on the Dublin coastline.
Today the mission has evolved — from illumination to atmosphere — but the craft hasn't. Every candle is meticulously hand-poured in small batches in Dublin, using 100% natural and sustainable waxes with the highest quality fragrances. The fragrances are inspired by the Irish landscape — wild rose, honeysuckle, sea air — reflecting the soul of the land itself. Rathbornes is built on the belief that doing things the right way still matters: better materials, better craft.
The result is a collection that feels genuinely distinct — not another lifestyle candle brand, but a five-hundred-year-old Dublin institution that has found its contemporary voice. Here are five pieces from our collection at Fina Tavola that showcase exactly what makes Rathbornes worth knowing.
1. Bitter Orange, Birch Tar & Balsam Scented Candle
For those who love a warm, citrus-woody glow, this is the one to start with. Bright top notes of bitter orange and citrus zest open the scent beautifully before melting into black amber, birch tar, fir balsam, and oak wood — creating a fragrance that is simultaneously uplifting and quietly smoky.
It's the kind of scent that works on a dark October evening and a mild March afternoon alike. Available in travel, classic, and statement four-wick sizes, it delivers a rich, comforting presence whatever the room.
Shop Bitter Orange, Birch Tar & Balsam →
2. Dublin Tea Rose, Oud & Patchouli Scented Candle
Romantic, sensuous, and deeply rooted in Irish landscape, this candle is inspired by field roses and historic walled gardens. Juicy raspberry and citrus top notes fade gently into creamy rosebuds and vanilla before settling into a luxurious base of oud, patchouli, and amber resin.
It's ideal for bedrooms, dressing areas, and intimate living spaces where you want a soft floral-woody atmosphere with a quietly dramatic finish — the kind of fragrance that lingers beautifully long after the candle is out.
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3. Dublin Dusk Smoked Oud & Ozonic Accords Scented Candle
If your aesthetic leans modern and atmospheric, Dublin Dusk is Rathbornes at its most compelling. Inspired by Ireland's rugged coastline at dusk, this scent blends cool ozonic accords with smoked oud and aged cedar, rounded by dark spices, patchouli, and soft musk.
It's a striking choice for contemporary interiors, living rooms, and reading nooks — anywhere you want a moodier, more sculpted fragrance that still feels refined and wearable across every season.
4. Dublin Retreat Reed Diffuser — Musk, Black Ebony & Amber
For continuous, flame-free fragrance, the Dublin Retreat Reed Diffuser is one of the most grounding options in the Rathbornes collection. Inspired by Dublin's Phoenix Park — the largest urban park in Europe — it layers musk at the core with top notes of nutmeg and cardamom, and base notes of cedarwood, black ebony, and amber.
The result is a warm woody scent with a gentle sweetness and soft, settled elegance — perfect for entryways, offices, and reading corners where you want long-lasting, ambient fragrance without a flame. The oil-based formula offers up to 16 weeks of continuous scent.
Shop Dublin Retreat Reed Diffuser →
5. Rathbornes x Maser Limited Edition 3-Wick Scented Candle
For the collector, this is where Irish art and Irish fragrance meet in one extraordinary object. The Rathbornes x Maser Limited Edition 3-Wick Candle is an exclusive collaboration with Dublin-born artist Maser — one of Ireland's most recognized contemporary artists — whose bold, graphic design is printed on a collectible glass vessel that's as much a statement piece as the scent inside it.
The fragrance matches the ambition of the artwork: dark plum and davana brightened with saffron, resting on smoked cedarwood, aged leather suede, and amber. Smoky, comforting, and deeply atmospheric — inspired by storytelling around a campfire. Made with 100% natural wax (beeswax, rapeseed, and coconut) and three natural cotton wicks, it burns for up to 80 hours.
Shop Rathbornes x Maser Limited Edition →
Shop Rathbornes 1488 at Fina Tavola
Every Rathbornes piece in our collection is handcrafted in Dublin with natural wax blends and premium fragrances, using techniques refined over more than five centuries. From romantic florals and cozy spice to fresh coastal woods and smoky oud, these candles are designed not just to scent a room — but to create atmosphere, memory, and a quiet sense of occasion.
Fina Tavola is an authorized US retailer of Rathbornes 1488. Browse the full Rathbornes collection and find the candle or diffuser that feels like home.