Do you know the difference between pancake syrup and maple syrup? Pancake syrup is the kind you find at the supermarket with, let’s say, a logo of a log cabin or a favorite aunt on it, and is primarily made of not-very-maple-y corn syrup and high-fructose corn syrup. Maple syrup is made of… maple syrup!

In a case of unusually clear labeling laws, only pure maple syrup is allowed to be called maple syrup–any product that is less than 100 percent maple is usually referred to as imitation maple syrup, pancake syrup, or just syrup. Canadians sometimes refer to imitation maple syrup as sirop de poteau (pole syrup), because it tastes like it might have been tapped from telephone poles.

It takes approximately 40 gallons to produce one gallon of syrup–as of December 2008, the average wholesale price for a gallon of pure maple syrup is $44. One way to trim down on the cost of syrup and get a fabulous do-it-yourself activity in at the same time is to tap your own maple trees to collect the sap. Tapping maple trees is environmentally sustainable–tapping a healthy, mature maple creates a “wound” in the tree, but it does not affect the health of the tree. Commercial maple tappers are able to tap trees, some with multiple taps, for decades.

Now, you are probably asking what this has to do with our new limited collection Canadian Maple?? Well, I was inspired to create this new aroma in celebration of the transition into the fall season. Maple syrup is a part of our Canadian Heritage and we all felt that an aroma that reflects and smells like the syrup tastes would be amazing. With over 26 Escents stores in Taiwan our partners encouraged me to create an aroma that reflects a piece of our Canadian culture. We all felt that with the red and yellow leaves falling off the trees, and the romance of a Canadian autumn, this would be the perfect aroma to put forward. This limited edition collection includes: 100% pure Soy Jar Candle, Reed Diffuser and Aroma Blend. All products work together to impart the feeling of a beautiful autumn day and our hope is that customers in Taiwan and the rest of the world can share a truly Canadian experience.

My challenge when creating this aroma was to determine the notes that would combine to create a maple aroma. We ended up with many different essential oils and other aromas, plant extracts and co2's. The main essential oils used are organic eucalyptus and cedarwood. This sweet yet savory aroma really warms the emotions and will help purify the air and help combat that nasty cold and flu season.