does nose matter?

by **Marvin** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 8:38 pm

I dont understand the fascination with the smell, it's the taste that matters!

by **Deactivated Member** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 9:03 pm

Well, Marvin, if it's taste that matters to you, then fine. But the nose is a far more sensitive instrument than the tongue (or so they tell me--mine is terrible), with the ability to discern far greater variety of sensations. If people enjoy smelling as much as tasting, why shouldn't they?

It was noted here some time ago that Johnny Depp is supposedly in the habit of buying a dram of Lagavulin, which he enjoys nosing without drinking at all. Okay, he's weird...but it does illustrate the point that people enjoy the nose of whisky.

by **DramMeister** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 9:35 pm

As I understand it, we can only taste salt, sweet, bitter and sour. Everything else comes from the sense of smell. Whenever we 'taste' something it is a combination of taste and smell. This is why food (and whisky) are tasteless when you have a cold.
So I think it's impossible to seperate smell from taste for the purpose of this question.

Feel free to tell me I'm wrong.

by **TheLaddie** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 12:34 am

DramMeister wrote:As I understand it, we can only taste salt, sweet, bitter and sour. Everything else comes from the sense of smell. Whenever we 'taste' something it is a combination of taste and smell. This is why food (and whisky) are tasteless when you have a cold.
So I think it's impossible to seperate smell from taste for the purpose of this question.

Feel free to tell me I'm wrong.

Nope. You're right.

by **vitara7** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 12:36 am

well put it this way, if you had a great tasting malt, but smelt really really badly, would you still drink it?

by **Lawrence** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 2:53 am

DramMeister wrote:As I understand it, we can only taste salt, sweet, bitter and sour.

and umami (savoury).

by **Di Blasi** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 3:10 am

The sense of smell is our number trigger for memory. And it's probably why I fell in love with Ardbeg Ten the first instant I smelled it, and like Johnny Depp I guess, I hardly wanted to drink it, especially since it burned going down! All I wanted to do was smell it!!! Aaaahhh. But anyway Marvin, good start there, ha ha ha, fooled us all I guess! Keep up the good work!