Light My Fire

Walk into better shops or stylish hotel lobbies and you'll likely enjoy the sensory ambiance provided by a good candle. Of course there's the flickering light thrown off by the flame, but also a faint fragrance that's not like the cloying, frou frou smells most guys associate with scented candles. Unfortunately, those candles—often by storied brands from Europe's oldest cities—will cost you about a C-note. But we recently discovered Sydney Hale Co., a family owned fragrance house making small-batch candles out of Arlington, VA in a variety of subtle, masculine scents at an affordable price. The wax is soy, made from American-grown beans, which means no soot or smoke and a less intense fragrance compared to traditional paraffin candles. What's more, the nostalgic apothecary-style jars in which they're housed make handsome glasses once they're finished burning.

$22, at Sydney Hale Co.