Sense of Smell – Discovering the Best Spirits Evaluation Perspective
Sense of Smell – Discovering the Best Spirits Evaluation Perspective
We generally take our sense of smell for granted. We have no idea or concern about how weak or powerful it is. The best spirits evaluation is performed in a logical manner with repeatable methodology. By categorizing and organizing a workable system to describe smells and flavors we have a dependable, usable standard for evaluation purposes. This organization is necessary to standardize the way we knowingly describe flavors and aromas and involves a discipline of language and vocabulary as well as developing a working knowledge of how we biologically smell and taste.
Aroma: Human perception of molecules emanating from food or beverage detected by human olfactory receptors.
Flavor: The Wikipedia definition of flavor is sufficient for the scope of our discussions. Flavor is the sensory impression of food or other substances, and is determined primarily by the chemical senses of taste and smell. The “trigeminal senses”, which detect chemical irritants in the mouth and throat, as well as temperature and texture, are also important to the overall gestalt of flavor perception.
The Flavor Equation: Putting Sensory in Perspective
We have only five tastes: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami (discussion later). There are thousands of aromas recognizable and detectable by the human sense of smell (olfactory). There are hundreds of mouthfeels. Generally accepted guidelines for the composition of Flavor in spirits. Note that the majority of contribution is our sense of smell.
Flavor = Aroma (90%) + Taste (5%) + Mouthfeel (5%)
Surprisingly, the flavor is mostly aroma, not taste. Let’s sensory sample a raspberry. Simply put, we do not taste raspberries. We smell raspberry molecules, taste sweet, and feel fuzzy, and acidic mouthfeel of the raspberry on the palate and the inside of the cheeks. However, one should remember that taste identifies only the sweet part of the raspberry flavor.
Stop confusing mouthfeel with taste. Stop confusing smell with taste.
WE use our sense of smell in two ways. If we smelled the raspberry before popping it in our mouths we sampled ortho-nasal aromas which means through the nostrils to the olfactory receptors bypassing the oral cavity. Once the raspberry is chewed, flavorful beads broken, and mixed with digestive saliva, aromas find the olfactory bulb once more through the pharyngeal opening at the back of the throat These are retro-nasal aromas.
Sense of Smell (olfactory) has an Emotional, Circumstantial Connection
Information from the nose, tongue, and chemo-sensors located all around the inside of the mouth arrive at the brain in a single packet, mostly through the trigeminal nerve for identification. If raspberries are in the brain’s memory bank, the Aha! The moment is when you recognize Raspberry. If not, the brain will automatically create a “smell-library” reference for future access awaiting the next raspberry.
Your sensory Library consists of many components. Your memory records every experience, including the actual circumstances surrounding each event in which you notice a smell or taste. Emotions are a part of the smell and taste package. Your background, cultural and social influences and your education and even your pre-natal experiences play a part in your sensory catalog. Your sense of smell and taste are intricate and involved
Human odor detection is now known to be much more complex now than originally thought. Every person has a combination of emotion, visual perception, sounds, colors, skin feel, and awareness that accompanies every perceived flavor. Bob’s recollection of Grandma’s apple pie is very different from Susan’s; during the discussion, they are close, yet on further discussion, there are perceptive differences. We can’t control it, can’t turn sensory on or off. Therefore, everything we sense becomes inextricably associated with our experiential definition of a flavor or aroma.
Sense of Smell: What is “Finish”
We use the term finish to designate retro-nasal aromas as well as the sensory information from taste and mouthfeel (hot, minty, metallic, acidic, oily, etc.). Finish is the whole enchilada: taste, smell, and mouthfeel from inside the oral cavity. The finish should carry more weight when evaluated. This diagram is a cross-section of the olfactory cavity showing ortho and retro-pharyngeal paths. The second diagram is a section of the olfactory bulb and sensors.
There are two ways to smell. Retro-nasal is using the nasal passages only. It uses the pharyngeal opening at the back of the throat to funnel aromas up to the posterior of the olfactory bulb in the nasal cavity. Retro-nasal is also called “finish.” The olfactory gustatory, and mouthfeel receptors transmit all signals to together to make up the entire taste and smell signal package
The Vocabulary Lexicon
Discrepancies in definitions of flavors are why professional evaluation panels must agree upon vocabulary before evaluation. This assures fresh and uniform identification names to keep panel members on the same page, thus boosting the confidence level (believability and repeatability) of the total evaluation. As a result, Bob and Susan’s separate apple pies become a uniform agreement and subtleties of personal experience can be discounted for panel consensus.
Sense of Smell: Valid Sources are Important
Listening to critics to guide wine and spirits purchases often ends in costly regret, similar to buying popular labels and chasing high ratings. Following the piper often leads to deep disappointment. You are unique, formulate your opinions; it’s all about you. Arm yourself through studied knowledge and personal perception. Achieving true satisfaction is a personal responsibility; learn, learn, learn, read, read, read, smell, smell, smell, taste, taste, taste. Learn how the best spirits glass ever was designed. Our peer-reviewed journal paper describes the science.
Summary
Your sense of smell is your lifeline to experiences in life. Cherish it, develop it, use it. Do something different. Stop listening to the self-styled critic/bloggers. Study the science. Choose vetted sources that you can believe in. Participate in tastings, offer your opinions, listen to the experts, and above all, keep you student hat on. Study the science, disregard prurient marketing and buy what YOU like, not what the marketers suggest. As a result, your accuracy will improve, your buying decisions will be spot on.
