Isla 84 NYC is an ode to my island. To the smell of firewood at dusk. To rivers so cold they take your breath away. To skies so full of stars you forget the city exists. To the feeling of being surrounded by family and knowing, without question, that you are exactly where you belong.

For those of us who grew up between two worlds, home is not always a place you can return to whenever you want. Sometimes it lives in a smell. A sound. A feeling that catches you off guard in the middle of an ordinary day.

I founded Isla 84 NYC because of that longing. I’m a Dominican-born registered nurse living in New York City, and I needed a way back. Back to the island. Back to the people. Back to myself.

The number 84 kept finding me. A sign I decided to follow. Combined with “Isla” it felt like something undiscovered. A mysterious island waiting to be found. That feeling of discovery is at the heart of everything I do. Taking you to places you may not know but will never forget.

Every candle is inspired by a real place in the Dominican Republic. From the ancient streets of Santo Domingo to the cool mountain rivers of Sajoma, the town where my family is from. These aren’t generic tropical scents. They are memories. They are home.

Every candle is hand-poured in small batches in New York City, with the care of someone who knows what it means to carry a place inside you.

The island, distilled.

Con amor,

Mercedes Estevez
Founder, Isla 84 NYC