Every year, Father's Day brings with it the struggle of finding my dad a present he'll actually use. By now, I've completely exhausted my gifting fall-backs of cuff links and ties. And let's be real, yet another box of golf balls isn't going to show him how much I care. That's where A.1. is coming in hot with the ultimate meat lover's accessory for Father's Day. Forget attempting to sear a steak for your dad this year, because you can get meat scented candles by A.1. that will have him enjoying the smells of grilling season all summer long.
"Father’s Day gifts are always the same," a press release from the famous steak sauce company reads. "Year after year, it’s another tie, a book, a bottle of cologne, or a mug saying world’s greatest dad." Yikes, that sounds a little too familiar.
Enter A.1.'s trio of barbecue-inspired candles, which are available starting on Wednesday, May 30 to give dad "the gift of meat" in wax form. I know it sounds weird, but TBH, he might actually use them. With just weeks to go until June 17, Father's Day is coming up just when he's finally dusted off his grill for the warmer months ahead. Plus, the meat-scented candles promise all the olfactory senses of a cookout without all the mess, if you're into that kind of thing.
"Imagine coming home to a nice, juicy, hearty dinner with the sweet and tangy taste of A.1. sauce," the website reads (just to give you an idea of its tantalizing offers). "It smells like that. We're sorry your mouth is watering."
OK, so what are these reportedly hunger-inducing choices, and do they actually give off the aroma of a slab of well-seasoned beef?
First up is the Original Meat Candle, which the company quips "pairs well with dad jokes" and "can cause immediate hunger." LOL. While the website isn't too descriptive on this one, one reporter at Delish said it smells like "waxy meat." Meanwhile, she described the Backyard BBQ Candle — which aims to capture the odors of "hot summer air" and sizzling beef — as a "Christmas tree store in the summer months." That kind of makes sense, if you're going for the whole outdoors backyard feel. Delish also reports that the Burger Candle gives off a powerful whiff of of "marinating beef."
Now that you have an inkling of what the three options might smell like, you can look through the candles and decide what your dad will appreciate best. All limited-edition 9-ounce candles are sold exclusively on A1MeatScents.com while supplies last — and at just $14.99 a piece, they won't break the bank for Father's Day. The hand-poured candles also claim to offer between 50-70 hours of burning time, so you know dad will have plenty of meat-inspired olfactory experiences from your gift.
If you're still leaning towards candles in more traditional vanilla or pumpkin spice fragrances, A.1. gives one last argument for purchasing a meat-scented candle: Nostalgia. "They are a truly unique gift that will celebrate Dad with an added bonus," the press release reads. "They will evoke memories of Dad’s cooking and grilling using A.1. sauce and – they smell amazing."
Hey, meat-scented candles might sound weird, but there's no shortage of perfumes that take their olfactory inspiration from food items. After all, doesn't everyone want to smell like bacon? In 2011, Pork Barrel BBQ released a signature scent that claimed to delight your nose with an “intoxicating bouquet of spices, smoke, meat & sweet summer sweat," according to Bustle. The point is, I'm not judging if some meat lovers in my life want to bring an extra dose of grilling season into their lives with these candles.
