Cynical Tasters Will Never Admit to Poor Sensory Perception
Cynical Tasters Will Never Admit to Poor Olfactory Sensory Perception
There are three basic categories of poor sensory perception in the olfactory: (1) Ego and an inflated predisposition to one’s personal expertise, (2) attitude toward learning, and (3) lack of knowledge. We can help with (3), the rest is up to you.
Many tasting attendees arrive with an arrogant, cynical “show me” attitude. Given the social conditioning of constant marketing bombardment, cynical attitude has become an accepted norm. Inherent in the cynical attitude is a deeper question, “I long to know more, so give me something useful, even though I don’t believe you can, because no one ever does.”
As much as cynicism cries out for learning, it also dares the tasting seminar leader to overcome the attendee’s reluctance to learn. “Force me to learn” is not a great scenario for either. Approaching a tasting with a different attitude can alter the outcome. “I am here to learn and to weigh truthful substance which may be offered. I retain the right to decide whether I accept it.”
Couple the tasters’ attitudes with a “first-position” concept of their accumulated knowledge, and a refusal to admit their sensory abilities could use some improvement, and we have the self-created Godzilla of tasting attendees. Their olfactory smells what ever they want it to smell.
Back to the third reason, basic knowledge is important. Even experts often unknowingly succumb to the deceiving olfactory effects of ethanol. Understanding how ethanol destroys aroma detection will help change cynical attitudes.
Here are a few facts which are a given whenever tasting high ABV spirits. Poor sensory perception also exists due to the nature of the substance we are tasting and evaluating. Don’t take anything personally, open your mind, and realize ethanol s**t happens, even to the best, and often. The key is to recognize it.
The Silent Enemy of Sensory Enjoyment – Olfactory Fatigue
What is poor sensory perception? Olfactory fatigue, also called olfactory adaptation also referred to as nose-blindness, is a phenomenon in which olfactory receptors decrease in sensitivity due to prolonged odorant exposure. Accordingly, this results in the inability to perceive, differentiate, or identify aromas.
Olfactory fatigue is a dynamic, adaptive, protective mechanism which prevents sensory overload from continuous exposure, and enhances perception of new aromas. As a result, the olfactory system adapts to constant background odors while maintaining sensitivity to new or changing odors, while constantly on the vigil to detect potential dangers (fire, poison) or opportunities (Gram’s apple pie). How NEAT works.
Mechanisms of Olfactory Fatigue – A Different Poor Sensory Perception
- Receptor Desensitization: Olfactory receptors in the nasal epithelium detect specific odor molecules. Consequently, prolonged or repeated exposure to the same odorant results in receptors become less responsive to that specific odor.
- Neural Adaptation: Signal transmitting sensory neurons become less responsive to the same odor signal over time. Because of this, you won’t get a repeat of some aromas after repeated sniffing.
- Central Processing: As brain receives repetitive olfactory odor signals, it re-prioritizes to focus on changing sensory information, contributing to the perception of reduced sensitivity.
- Peripheral Factors: Depletion of neurotransmitters and refreshing nasal epithelium mucous layer.
Signs of Olfactory Fatigue: Perception Disappears
Ethanol (alcohol) is an anesthetic and numbs olfactory receptors. Olfactory fatigue occurs without awareness, is painless and gradual, with no warning signs. It’s seldom discussed at tastings, and few know it exists, even though we have all experienced it. Few are concerned, “I never noticed it. If I don’t know it’s there, it’s not an issue.” Many deny, “My nose is good, I’ve been drinking (type of spirit) for a long time and never bothered me.” Three questions indicate you are most likely in some stage of olfactory fatigue: Why don’t I smell anything? Why can’t I identify this aroma? Why does every sample smell the same? In this case, poor sensory perception is not a personal fault.
Memory Distracts: Of course, the next question asked is “It’s (type of spirit, e.g. bourbon). What should I smell?” Experiential memory comes to the rescue by recalling your last (name of spirit type) tasting and the attending aromas, and you begin to search for them. Now you are no longer evaluating the sample in front of you, but attempting to validate a spirit you are familiar with while nosing a new, different spirit.
Ignorance and Denial is Proportional to ABV:
High ABV (alcohol by volume) of spirits (40%+), is too much nose-numbing, pungent, anesthetic for the human olfactory to handle. Nevertheless, wine tasters also have frequent bouts of olfactory fatigue.
However, spirits drinkers are another story, as machismo permeates whiskey clubs, clouding objectivity, punctuated by the fact that four times the alcohol is present in spirits as opposed to red wine. As a result, spirits drinkers are reluctant to admit they have an aroma detection problem when it occurs, even when tasting cask strength spirits. In addition, few believe the issue is glassware. Perception is compromised through acceptance of tradition over scientific fact.
Does olfactory fatigue occur in spirits drinkers? You bet it does, on steroids. Most drinkers think it has to be there. Glassware makes the difference. Choose a better glass.
These factors strongly suggest that spirits, with their higher ABV and concentrated aromas, lead to olfactory fatigue. Note that olfactory fatigue and volatile compounds go hand-in-hand. As a rule, more volatile compounds = more numbing of ORNs (olfactory neuron receptors), lead to quicker onset. Accordingly, the chart clearly points to ethanol as the most volatile culprit.
How do we avoid olfactory fatigue and enhance olfactory perception?
- Stop using tulip glasses, they shove concentrated ethanol up your nose, obscuring aromas and flavors. Use a tumbler, or better still, a glass designed to avoid olfactory fatigue such as NEAT. Drinking 40% ABV spirits from a tulip or copita glass designed for 22% fortified wine creates a nose-bomb.
- Walk away, go outside, get a fresh breath of air, don’t smoke, blow your nose, don’t return for 4 minutes. After all, the only way to reset your nose is to allow the mucous layer to replace and wash the ethanol molecules away.
- Forget about coffee bean myths, smelling your armpit or the crook of your arm, and smelling salts. Finally, nothing but time away from the exposure will allow the mucous layer on the epithelium to reset.
- Check your attitude.
Did you come to a tasting to drink and criticize, or to enjoy and learn the nuances the distillers created in their spirits? Discipline and an open-rimmed glass will enhance the experience. Ultimately, the NEAT glass will provide added insight to your spirits. Conversely, you will not learn much from continuing to use tulips. After all, concentrated ethanol is not flavor. Openness and a pro-learning attitude wins. Most poor sensory perception is correctable. Check out the independent research glass comparison.
Bio: George F Manska, CR&D, Arsilica, Inc.
Qualifications: Published sensory science researcher, entrepreneur. BSME, NEAT glass co-inventor.
Mission: Replace myth and misinformation with scientific truth through consumer education.
Comments Welcome – Contact: george@arsilica.com, phone 702.332.7305.
More Information: www.theneatglass.com.
