What Does Fig Smell Like?

If there's one fruit that has a long and storied history, it's figs. Figs trace back originally to northern Asia Minor and were later spread throughout the Mediterranean by the Greeks and Romans.

Likely you have an idea of what a fig looks like, even if you've never eaten one. We explore all things fig but especially what does fig smell like?

Figs have a gloriously unique scent with a fruity sweetness that smells both decadent and gentle. Figs ripen in the heat of summer with a delicious honeyed sweetness which only intensifies when dried. It's a calming scent that is sure to bring a bit of sunshine into even the coldest days of winter.

Fig leaves meanwhile have a sharp green scent, almost grassy with a touch of bitterness.

In our Summer Fig candle, we round out the joyful sweetness of fig with a touch of sensual jasmine and then balance it with a base of rich sandalwood.

What Are Figs?

Figs grow on low, bushy trees in warm climates. A fig tree can grow several feet tall and live for over a hundred years if it's taken care of properly. Figs flourished dry, hot climate and long, sunny days to grow.

The fruit has a green or purple skin that's peeled to reveal soft, sweet pink fruit on the inside. Their shape resembles a teardrop and is the size of a child's fist. Despite the small size, they're jam-packed with flavor and fragrance.

The flesh of the fruit has a sweet, honey-like taste and is filled with hundreds of tiny, edible crunchy yellow or white seeds. Eating figs gives a range of health benefits such as better digestion and blood sugar levels—but most people eat them because they're delicious.

Before the use of sugar became widespread, figs were a way for people to sweeten their desserts. Today, people may still substitute figs for sugar for a more nutritious sweetness.

The History and Meaning of Figs

While figs originated in Asia and spread to Europe, they are perhaps most known from the stories and legends of ancient Greece and Rome. Ancient Olympians even earned figs as prizes for their skill.

Given its history, it's no surprise that figs are also closely tied to symbolism. Religions like Christianity, Buddhism, or Hinduism may have their own meanings for figs, but typically, figs symbolize universal truth, knowledge, and abundance.

In the Bible, some scholars believe that Adam and Eve ate a fig, not an apple — after all, later they hid their nakedness behind fig leaves. Similarly, Buddhists believe that the tree Buddha found enlightenment under was a fig tree. To see a fig tree or to eat a fig can be a symbol of self-discovery or enlightenment.

Bringing the Scent of Fig & Mediterranean Sun to You

There's no need to catch a plane to Italy, bring the Italian sun to you with our Summer Fig scented candle. Light and breezy, our romantic Summer Fig Candle combines the fruity sweetness of fresh, juicy fig rounded off with soft, sensual notes of jasmine and balanced with a base or rich sandalwood.

Use the scent of Mediterranean figs to accentuate the languid days of summer or as a burst of sunshine in a long cold winter. All our travel-inspired luxury soy candles are hand-poured with love in the USA.

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