Is there a finer aroma than.....

[Fnaar]

We have Thyme growing in our garden... in an idle moment I like to pass my fingers through it's leaves and breathe in the lovely aroma... but only when I have thyme on my hands.

 

[Globalti]

A few years ago I actually had an article published in Singletrack about all the smells you experience on a typical ride. Didn't get paid anything for it though!

The most amazing organoleptic experience of my life was the day we finished the Haute Route on touring skis. We had been living in a sterile environment of snow, ice and rock for 6 days and as we skied down into Zermatt we were hit by the smells of the town; a steaming dung heap by a farm, fresh creosote on a gable end heated by the sun, cooking smells, Virginia tobacco, perfume, then sitting in the train back to Geneva with the windows open the smells of spring, flowers by the railway, greenery, everything was heightened to an amazing degree. It's why the big perfume houses have their creative laboratories high up in the Alps.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Basil, cat's pee? Good grief! Philistines.

As one who has only ever had dogs, I wouldn't know if it was Catty or not, but generally, I don't like the smell of basil, and it's pretty strong as well.
It is nice to eat, don't get me wrong, but I just hate the smell of it!!

Now, don't even get me started on Mint - horrible, horrible stuff that I'd quite happily ban! (it's made worse by everyone going on about how wonderful it is).

Ok, how about freshly baked bread?

Nah, too Doggy!

Seriously though, I like the smell of

cut grass,
the earthy smell that comes just before it rains (and it's even more special when you can smell/sense Thunder and Lightning in it!),
of Coffee,
of fish and chips,
of bacon
of fried onions
of petrol (seriously)
of a certain kind of oily smell that you sometimes smell on railways, particularly (for some strange reason) German Railways
of Cigars (I know, I know!)
Of certain types of cleaners (yet again, yes, I KNOW!)

And one or two other things besides.

Tell you what though, the worst smell I've come across of late was when I cycled round the end of the runway at Glasgow Airport and I got a waft of some serious exhaust pipe smell. I think it must be from the planes, and ewwww, it's rancid!!

 

[Speicher]

Rich P, why have you crushed Basil?

Basil Brush is was one of my best friends - how dare you?

 

[Speicher]

Seriously though, I like the smell of

cut grass,
the earthy smell that comes just before it rains (and it's even more special when you can smell/sense Thunder and Lightning in it!),
of Coffee,
of fish and chips,
of bacon
of fried onions
of petrol (seriously)
of a certain kind of oily smell that you sometimes smell on railways, particularly (for some strange reason) German Railways
of Cigars (I know, I know!)
Of certain types of cleaners (yet again, yes, I KNOW!)

And one or two other things besides.

I thought it was just me who could smell rain and thunder and lightening.

And Railways of course. I guess you mean preferably steam railways, but diesel one are good too. I think there is the same smell at some Austrian and Swiss railways.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Aye and the smell of Coriander isn't much better. What's more, I can always taste it in food and I hate! bleugh bleugh bleugh!!!!!!

Basil, Corriander, Mint, and exhaust pipe smell - that's my idea of nasal hell!

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

I thought it was just me who could smell rain and thunder and lightening.

I only seem to smell it some times. Thunder and Lightning is so uncommon round these parts that I'm probably just out of training, but yes, I certainly have smelled it in the past!

And Railways of course. I guess you mean preferably steam railways, but diesel one are good too. I think there is the same smell at some Austrian and Swiss railways.

Yes, you can smell it elsewhere as well at times, including occasionally here in the UK, usually on really warm days, but it isn't at all common here, and I don't really know why.
I think it's actually dirty oil, but it has a certain aroma to it that I like.
It doesn't have much to do with steam engines, seeing as I first came across it in the mid '90s in the South of Germany where electrics dominated (and, of course, still do).

Oh and I'll tell you another smell I like, that of a coal fire or of Peat ....as well as a Barbeque of course!!

 

[Globalti]

I remember standing in the slate quarries above Llanberis, watching a rain storm approaching from Snowdon across the valley and realising suddenly that you can smell rain.

Have you noticed that modern cars have almost no exhaust odour at all? Emissions controls and lean-burn technology have cleaned them up but motorbikes don't have the same controls and they still stink. Even worse is if you get behind an old car, anything pre-about 1990 will do, they stink of unburned petrol. When I first knew Mrs Gti in 1995 she was an area sales manager spending most of her week on the M6 and when she arrived at my place every Friday evening she used to stink of exhaust fumes.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

I remember standing in the slate quarries above Llanberis, watching a rain storm approaching from Snowdon across the valley and realising suddenly that you can smell rain.

That sounds fantastic and I can just imagine it here right now!

Have you noticed that modern cars have almost no exhaust odour at all? Emissions controls and lean-burn technology have cleaned them up but motorbikes don't have the same controls and they still stink.

I have noticed that (up to a certain point - being in heavy traffic on a bike, you SOON smell it!), but as you say, some vehicles can still stink!

Even worse is if you get behind an old car, anything pre-about 1990 will do, they stink of unburned petrol. When I first knew Mrs Gti in 1995 she was an area sales manager spending most of her week on the M6 and when she arrived at my place every Friday evening she used to stink of exhaust fumes.

It must have been from the planes then. It was horrible anyway!

 

[Rezillo]

Gorse in blossom - just one big coconutty cloud of scent.

John

 

[BrumJim]

There is no finer aroma than fresh coriander on top of a hot balti. It smells citrus y, not rancid but like orange and a bit of lemon.

 

[betty swollocks]

clean babies
newly-washed hair of the person you love
bluebell woods
the ionised air just before a thunderstorm
the melange of fresh bread, fresh-ground coffee and apples of a local small village shop - closed down now - I often used to call in for a sniff
saltair beside the sea, particularly on a bleak and windswept day
stilton cheese
coal
garlic, even on other people

 

[Globalti]

clean babies
newly-washed hair of the person you love
bluebell woods
the ionised air just before a thunderstorm
the melange of fresh bread, fresh-ground coffee and apples of a local small village shop - closed down now - I often used to call in for a sniff
saltair beside the sea, particularly on a bleak and windswept day
stilton cheese
coal
garlic, even on other people

Coal or burning coal? Woodsmoke, especially laced with the smell of eggs and bacon frying, peat or coal are all lovely smells that belong to winter.

 

[gavintc]

I love coffee smells, and have just brewed a nice pot of espresso in the little pressure bialetti. But I agree with the smell of a storm, we had one pass through this afternoon - lovely lightening and the roll of thunder.

 

[tiswas-steve]

Gotta be hot tar or the smell of your first Guinness while awaiting the kick off of your fav team,s first league game of the new season on the tv in the local.
.