“But does it smell like vinegar?” It is a question we sometimes hear regarding our balsamic-inspired home fragrances. It is understandable: the word “vinegar” brings to mind a pungent odour that stings the nose. However, Volare’s balsamic fragrances are nothing like that. Their scent profile evokes the wood essences of the barrels where balsamic vinegar rests for years, featuring notes of vanilla, ripe fruit, resin, and spices.
Why balsamic vinegar smells the way it does
The smell of Balsamic Vinegar is far richer and more multifaceted than the smell of wine vinegar. This is due to the aromatic richness of the woods. After cooking, the must is transferred into a series of casks of decreasing size, known as a “batteria”. Each cask is made of a different type of wood, and each wood possesses its own unique porosity, tannins, and resins. Year after year, it imparts a part of itself to the balsamic vinegar.
One “batteria”, many woods: the choice of each “acetaia”
The production specifications for Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena (PDO) require aging to take place in casks made of different types of wood typical of the region. Each vinegar producer decides which woods to use—and in which order—based on their own family tradition; this provides every balsamic vinegar with a unique character.
Using a variety of woods generally results in a richer balsamic, both on the nose and the palate. There are also “single-wood” balsamic condiments, aged in just one type of wood to highlight its specific characteristics; for instance, some producers dedicate an entire battery of casks to cherry wood to accentuate the vinegar’s fruity notes. Ultimately, the wood works in tandem with other factors, such as the raw materials, the topping-up process, and the transferring of the vinegar between casks.
Acetaia Leonardi’s woods and their scents
Volare products are inspired by the tradition of Acetaia Leonardi balsamic vinegar, aged using different woods, each bringing unique and distinctive notes.
Oak
Hard, compact, with a tight grain: this is the wood most associated with barrels. It adds a light and discreet touch of vanilla to balsamic vinegar already aged for a few years. That’s why this essence of wood is commonly used to store vinegar during the long maturation process.
Cherry
Its pinkish wood softens the balsamic vinegar with a rounded, lingering aroma reminiscent of ripe cherries and sour cherries. It is highly porous and typically occupies the first positions in the battery of barrels.
Juniper
Resinous and dense, it releases an intense, spicy essence that enlivens the balsamic vinegar. Today, it is a rare wood—difficult to source—and is more suitable for the smallest casks.
Chestnut
It comes from the Modena and Reggio Apennines and is rich in natural tannins. It provides body and structure, a distinct bitter note, and an intense brown colour. It is one of the most widely used essences.
Mulberry
It once grew in the countryside around Modena, where it was used in silkworm farming. Its soft, porous wood allows the balsamic vinegar to breathe and concentrate, imparting a note of wild red berries.
Ash
White and tannin-free, this is the neutral wood of the barrel set. It adds no bitterness and does not darken the colour; it preserves the acidity and leaves intact the bouquet created by the other woods.
From the barrel to the house: Volare Home fragrances
Those same woods give Volare home fragrances their balsamic bouquet. Each product interprets it in its own way.
Home Diffuser – Balsamic fragrance
The Home Diffuser – Balsamic Fragrances releases a soft, fruity fragrance with spicy notes and warm hints of vanilla. To the essences of the “batteria” (cask set), it adds acacia with its sweet, honey-like aromas. Chestnut brings delicate yet penetrating fragrances, mulberry enhances the scents, and ash harmonizes the blend.
Balsamic candle
The fragrance of the Balsamic Candle is sweet and enveloping. It opens with spicy, vanilla-infused top notes—the same ones that carry the juniper and oak. It continues with a resinous, amber heart and finishes with a lingering base of mulberry and honey. Light it in the evening, when the pace of the home slows down.
Home Spray
The home Spray combines resinous and spicy notes with the sweet, fruity ones typical of vineyard wood. Just a few upward sprays are enough to fill the room with the scent—whether upon returning home or just before guests arrive.
A fragrance coming from nature and tradition
The balsamic fragrance of Volare comes from the wood barrels and the time the Leonardi family has devoted to its balsamic vinegar for four generations. If someone walks into your home and asks about that distinctive and familiar scent, you can say it smells like an “acetaia” (vinegar attic): wood, vanilla, fruit, and a hint of resin.
