Describing odors and flavors

[PDX Dopesmoker]

Describing odors and flavors effectively in text is a kind of weird challenge we've all run into. Its an annoying little literary task to run a smell though your nose and translate it accurately enough into language so that the person receiving the words knowns the same olfactory sensation you experienced. Some people are better at it than others, who are they and what are their tricks?

 

[insomniac_AU]

Certainly not me. I struggle like most people do. I know it tastes great but describing exactly what it tastes like is tough. You can describe the basic overwhelming flavour but everyone has different taste buds so what you taste may not be the same as someone else. The other thing I think needs a little more clarification is effect. My opinion is Sativas get you high and Indicas get you stoned. It's a different effect, they are at opposite ends of the scale.

 

[brickweeder]

I think it is impossible to accurately describe (verbal or written) a smell or flavor to someone that has not experienced that smell or flavor. That's just the way it is.

 

[Bud Green]

We use to call them "wine snobs"...Now we call them something else...

..

 

[St. Phatty]

Smells like PU Licorice Skunk

That was one of my favorite Indica's, the best I could describe it.

PU as is Foul smelling. Licorice because there was licorice. Skunk as in Skunk.

Wonderful smoke, sticky, perfect.

I've heard Afghani's can have that foul smelling PU smell.


I wonder about the Licorice. Smelled like Licorice to me.

But I think you have to share a bud around and see what smells it evokes.

Maybe for other people it would have evoked a different smell.

If I hadn't smoked all of it.

 

[PDX Dopesmoker]

We use to call them "wine snobs"...Now we call them something else...

..

I bet theres a thesaurus for wine people out there somewhere, that might be the kinda thing I'm looking for.

 

[Green Squall]

I have a poor smell palate and can only recognize skunky, fruity and piney. Taste can be a little more complex, but my senses still aren't sharp.

 

[Sertaiz]

they have to have a certain je ne sais pas, that is, whatever your brain needs at the time. me i need pure sativas for the daytime and happy dopey not too stony indicas like a well rounded kush.

the smells are for recognising the effects for your brain, recorded on a basic subconscious level so that one can work out what smells mean what effects, without needing words.
everyone likes different stuff but many have not tried a variety of pure sativas. much harder to find. lemony flavors usually mean happiness for me

 

[GOT_BUD?]

According to Kevin Jodry, who I feel is an expert on the subject, there are 4 main smells/tastes associated with cannabis - Earthy and Fuely are usually indicas. And Citrousy and Flowery, which are usually sativas.

From there you get into subcategories and more specific flavor profiles.

He's got a youtube video where he talks about refining your palette. I would give up a limb to spend a day with him sampling different cannabis flavor profiles and learning.

 

[Buddah Watcha]

Definitely check Kevin Jodrey video, dude has so much knowledge... learned a lot from his videos!


I'm also terrible at describing tastes and smells...


There is this chart that I've seen that should help quite a bit at describing flavors, here it is!

I think this chart comes from Greenhouse Seeds company, so ignore the strains on the outer level of the wheel!


Hope that helps!

 

[Buddah Watcha]

Heres another cool one, with a few of the terp names and also their effects...