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Describing aroma: difficulty of putting
scent into words

Papa Meilland



When studying and analyzing the scent of roses, difficulty arises in describing each smell.
The initial impression is usually described using such literary terms as "gorgeous", "fresh", and "passionate". There also are adjectives like "sweet" and "sour", commonly used to describe tastes. Then, there are the basic terms for fragrance such as "green note" or "powdery note." Scents are also commonly compared to popular flowers and fruits such as "lemon-like" or "evoking violet". Chemical names for odoriferous substances like "geraniol" or "phenethylalcohol" can be used as well.
As an example, here is how the fragrance of "Papa Meilland" was described when it won first prize in the 1995 Rose Fragrance Contest.
"Its scent is rich in geraniol and nerol, which is a quality unique to Damask modern. It also has a strong, fresh green note, sweetness of fresh honey, and is highly fragrant." What kind of fragrance can you imagine, hearing this description?


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