What is Aroma?

We may not realize it, but our sense of smell is one of the most important ways we perceive and understand the world. Like our other senses, it is highly subjective. However, most people often don’t realize just how evocative aromas and scents can be.

That is why we have come up with this guide to help you better understand how aromas work and what they can do for you. So, be sure to keep reading.

Aromas and odors can tell us a lot about the world around us. For instance, it is a great way to check if a particular kind of food is still good to eat or not. However, our understanding of the importance of aromas has gone beyond mere matters of survival and everyday living. It is also a crucial aspect of understanding ourselves.

For instance, aside from visual and auditory cues, aromas and odors have been shown as vital stimuli for people. All of us have experienced this at some point in our lives wherein the right kind of smell can evoke specific feelings. In some cases, they can even evoke certain memories that have become associated with that smell.

That said, smells and aromas are a normal part of our physical world. However, our interpretation and understanding of them have been shown as a crucial part of the things that make us humans. After all, it is one of the most basic senses which define how we experience the world.

We can take in aromas and scents every day, wherever we may be. However, for most of us, words often fail us when it comes to adequately describing the aromas we smell. That said, presented below are what have come to be known as the three fragrance notes. Together, they comprise the different aspects of the scents you smell every day.

• Top Notes – Top notes are best defined as the initial impression you get from an aroma. Professional perfume makers often use top notes as a fleeting aspect of their scents that last only around 5-10 minutes. In most cases, they would use citrus oils and minty smells like peppermint, and eucalyptus.
• Middle Notes – Middle Notes are the main part of the scent which comprises the body of the aroma. The scent can linger for a while and may even last up to 2 hours. Several examples come to mind including sage and juniper.
• Base Notes – This element of the aroma that is also referred to as the fixative note. You’ll probably have noticed that a distinctive note lingers after the rest of the smell’s elements have gone. This is what the base note does – it serves as the lingering element of the aroma and it can last for up to a day.

The three elements presented above stems from the art of Aromatherapy. It is a healing treatment that uses different aromas and smells extracted from various natural sources to help promote a person’s well-being.

This holistic approach to healing is an advancement in our understanding of the olfactory sense’s role in our health. When you think about it, it only makes sense. After all, its role in our daily lives is indispensable.

If you are looking to try a coffee with a lovely aroma to put your new knowledge to the test try out El Salvador and see what you can smell!