4.1 Olfactory training: identifying top, heart, and base notes

Here’s a structured overview of olfactory training and identifying top, heart, and base notes in perfumery:

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1. Introduction to Olfactory Training

Olfactory training is the practice of developing your sense of smell to accurately identify and differentiate fragrance components.

• Essential for perfumers, aromatherapists, and researchers working with essential oils, agarwood, and perfume blends.
• Involves smelling, memorizing, and categorizing aromas.
• Focuses on recognizing fragrance structure, including top, heart, and base notes.

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2. The Fragrance Pyramid

Perfumes and essential oil blends are structured in a pyramidal hierarchy:

Layer	Characteristics	Evaporation Rate	Examples in Agarwood & Natural Oils
Top Notes	First impression, light, fresh, and volatile	0–30 minutes	Citrus oils (bergamot), green notes, light aldehydes
Heart (Middle) Notes	Core of the fragrance, body, floral or woody	30 min – 2 hours	Agarwood chromones, rose, ylang-ylang, spices
Base Notes	Long-lasting, heavy, fixative, grounding the scent	2–24 hours	Agarwood sesquiterpenes, sandalwood, vanilla, patchouli

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3. Olfactory Training Exercises

1. Smelling Standard Materials
   • Use single-note oils (citrus, floral, woody, resinous) to build memory.
   • Smell for 10–15 seconds, then take a break to reset the nose.
2. Classification Practice
   • Identify whether the scent is top, heart, or base based on volatility and perceived heaviness.
   • Example: Lemon (top), Rose (heart), Agarwood oil (base).
3. Layered Blending
   • Combine top, heart, and base notes in small drops.
   • Observe how the scent evolves over time.
   • Record impressions at 5 min, 30 min, and 2 hours to identify each note’s dominance.
4. Blind Smelling
   • Use coded vials or strips to test recognition without prior knowledge.
   • Improves accuracy and memory recall.
5. Descriptive Vocabulary Building
   • Associate scents with adjectives: fresh, spicy, woody, smoky, sweet, balsamic.
   • Maintain a fragrance journal for notes and observations.

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4. Tips for Effective Olfactory Training

• Avoid nasal fatigue: Take breaks and breathe fresh air between samples.
• Limit distractions: Smell in a neutral, odor-free environment.
• Use sniffing strips: Standardize the intensity of scent delivery.
• Practice regularly: 10–20 minutes daily improves sensitivity over weeks.
• Start simple, then complex: Begin with single notes, then move to blends and natural resins like agarwood.

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5. Application in Perfumery and Agarwood

• Agarwood essential oil profiling:
  • Top notes may include light green or citrusy elements (depending on blend).
  • Heart notes dominated by chromones contributing characteristic sweet, woody aroma.
  • Base notes dominated by sesquiterpenes, providing long-lasting woody, balsamic scent.
• Product development:
  • Formulate perfumes, incense, or aromatherapy oils with a balanced pyramid for maximum olfactory impact.

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Summary:

1. Top Notes → First impression, volatile, light
2. Heart Notes → Core, floral/woody, moderate longevity
3. Base Notes → Long-lasting, heavy, fixative
4. Practice → Smelling, classifying, blending, and journaling