Monday, August 15, 2016

House of Usher Wax Museum: Shelton Box


A kind reader, Kevin, sent me a wonderful box full of waxy goodies and this was one of them. A Shelton sampler from House of Usher Wax Museum. I have reviewed them before but it had been a while since I have had them in my melters and I am happy to have more to fragrant my home. Now, I will admit I am pretty clueless about this Shelton sampler. At first I thought this was to celebrate Blake Shelton, then as I was reading the story of scents that came with it I recognized references to the Sookie Stackhouse novels I read. But I was still confused about Blake Shelton/Jasper Shelton thing and I did not recognize all the characters in the scent story. So I give up and I am just going to dive into the scents without trying to reference their names or determine if the scent "fits" the theme. I do see that this sampler is still up for purchase for $20 here. I love the serious attention to detail, the thought out scents and the scent story that accompanied the box. 


Gunner's Apple Ale comes in liquid tart form and for as ding dang long as I have been melting wax, I never got around to trying the liquid tarts! Front Porch used to carry them but I never sprung for them. I am actually ridiculously excited to try this stuff. Out of the bottle, it smells like apple brandy to me. I quite like it. There is a sweetness from the hops but not overpowering. It does smell flat which makes me think more of liquor than beer but it goes down smooth. I squirted probably just under 1/2 an ounce in the warmer and it threw medium in the kitchen and living room. 

Jace Shelton's Bonfire came in a clamshell format. Hot cocoa and marshmallow fireside pours out of the six cubes. I melted one in the kitchen and one in the living room and it threw medium-strong with the scent of Tootsie rolls blended with a pinch of fireside. Not badly done but still not my cup o' tea. I am just too weird about chocolate as a home fragrance 99% of the time.  


Dixie Diesel's Cornbread & Strawberry Jam- Yep. Buttered skillet cornbread with a shot of salt and topped with strawberry preserves. Takes me straight to Cracker Barrel. 

Sweet Ada's Pumpkin Coconut Cupcakes- Spiced pumpkin and thick coconut cream with a salty tang of zucchini bread. Now, I am sure there probably is not zucchini bread but that is how this comes across to my nose. Definitely stout. These are not dainty white cake cupcakes mixed with pumpkin.


Jasper Shelton- Whiskey, caramel and that outdoors scent of dry leaves. The Jim Beam is strong and reminds me of too many times in the club 8 Seconds or The Dallas Bull. Once, I was a bad girl and scampered off with a Jim Beam poster that hung the girls' bathroom at one of these establishments. Don't ask where I hid it. Let's just say I was not carrying a purse. It stayed on my college bedroom wall for a few years. I am interested to see how this melts. It is a funny changeling that screams booze on the top, autumn air on the side and caramel on the bottom of the scent shot. 

Rougarou- Pine, musk, a little ozone. Nighttime in the woods. Fresh yet dark. Nicely done. These can be hard scents to get across. This one is excellent.


Back at Sookie's House- Smokey banana bread. Ah! That's the bacon. Like that crazy Beezy tart I got years ago. Yep. Bacon. The banana bread still jumps out from the bacon. Definitely interesting and a realistic smell of breakfast in the morning. But I do melt tarts to get rid of the bacon smell so I will be passing this one one. I got bacon burnt once already. Dern Beezy.

Gunner's Gun Powder & Lead- Boy howdy is this a fun scent!!!! Gunpowder and leather and sweet hops. This gives me flashbacks of when I was dating my high school sweetheart who was an amateur bull-rider. George Strait, starched jeans with Copenhagen lids embossed on one back pocket and a Wrangle tag on the other, too much cologne, grease on the hands, leather chaps (yes he had leather chaps), and occasional runs for Boone's Farm Strawberry Hill or Natty Light. Good Lord, I don't know if I should melt it or run and hide. There was some dark magic worked here on this one. I gotta melt it. It really is one of the most creative blends I have come across as far as evoking a scent memory. 

Thank you so very much Kevin for sharing this awesome box of smells with me. I appreciate it. House of Usher Wax Museum is stocked with many great scents and what looks to be a Halloween in July sampler that I keep eyeing. 

Have you tried House of Usher yet? Found any favorites? Kevin also shared with me a Sanderson's Sisters tart that has my eyes rolling in my head and will be featured in my Halloween Melting Basket. 

4 comments:

  1. Gotta love Kevin! He always sends such interesting things.

    I have tried House of Usher and was not impressed.

    ~Deb

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    1. I am very thankful he sent me this wonderful box of wax.

      Pooh. The Titanic Box.

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  2. What an awesome gift! Very kind of him! I'd like to give this company a try once!

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    1. It was very kind! I am making your fall friendship box (ya know! it's an annual tradition now LOL!) and I will put one in there. <3 You need to try it! I am glad you are feeling a little better. LOVING your IG pics!! That Flicker Box was crazy good!

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