The human sense of smell is capable of detecting a wide range of different scents from the softest and most comforting to the most intense and unpleasant. In this post we tell you the 10 main categories into which aromas are divided. Any smell in the world can be classified into one of them. Discover them!
And by the way! Don't miss our article about olfactory memory and the power of fragrances to revive moments you thought were forgotten.
What primary scents are and how they are perceived
There are thousands of different scents, so classifying them is quite a challenge. After extensive research, science chose to group them and divide them into 10 categories, better known as primary scents.
Any smell in the world you perceive can be classified within one of these 10 primary scents. From the lightest and softest to the deepest and most intense.
The 10 primary scents perceived by the sense of smell
According to a scientific study published in the specialized magazine PLOS One, these are the 10 primary odours or categories in which we can classify all the aromas we can perceive:
1. Fruity
The human nose can perceive all kinds of fruity smells. They are the natural aromas that evoke fruits, except citrus such as lemon, lime, and orange.
2. Citrus
The smell of orange, lemon, mandarin… Fresh and very pleasant aromas for the human nose that will leave you with a feeling of well-being in the body. This is why many fragrances and cleaning products stand out for including citrus notes such as lemon among their ingredients.
3. Floral
Another primary scent is floral, like the smell of roses. These scents are very pleasant to us, which is why they have been used for a long time in fragrance making.
4. Mentholated or refreshing
Mint is one of those smells that is unmistakable and extremely refreshing. It can be used as a spice in numerous recipes, but also in oral hygiene products. Mint is not the only refreshing scent that you can find, as there are others like eucalyptus which also fall within this category.
5. Sweet
It is usually considered a rich, warm, creamy, and light aroma. This type of scent is often perceived in chocolate, vanilla, or caramel. It is one of the most pleasant smells and often transports you to childhood.
6. Smoky or burnt
This scent is usually like the aroma released by the smoke produced when wood burns. It is intense, hard to remove and often associated with the scent of freshly made popcorn.
7. Woody or resinous
It is a woody or timber scent like that of leaves, resins, bushes or barks of the trees. Many often say it is one of the most pleasant scents, perhaps due to its connection with nature.
8. Chemical
They are synthetic scents, and the nose can recognize them easily. Some examples are alcohol, ammonia, bleach, gasoline or paint. This type of scents are very intense and are generally perceived by our brain as a warning signal.
9. Rancid or acrid
Another of the basic smells perceived by the human sense of smell is rancid or acrid. This aroma is usually a bit spicy and harsh for the sense of smell. Within this category are included, for example, the smell of garlic, phosphorus or sulphuric acid.
10. Rotten
These types of smell cause great rejection when the nose detects them in high concentrations. They are unpleasant and penetrating. Some examples are rotten meat, wastewater or other foods in a state of decomposition.
What is an olfactory family in the world of fragrance?
Each of the fragrances, colognes or scents can be classified within an olfactory family. This could be defined as a set of aromas or olfactory notes that stand out over the rest.
One of the most used classification methods is the fragrance wheel, proposed by Michael Edwards, which classifies aromas into 4 major olfactory families (floral, fresh, woody and oriental), each one divided into other subcategories. This way it is possible to properly determine the olfactory family to which any fragrance belongs.
If you want to know more about the most used terms in perfumery, don't miss our divain fragrance dictionary.
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