Olfactory

The term olfactory refers to anything related to the sense of smell. In a culinary context, “olfactory” is commonly used to describe how aromas contribute to flavor. The olfactory system is responsible for detecting and interpreting the volatile compounds released by food, allowing us to perceive smell, and thus flavor. Roughly 80% of flavor perception is derived from what our noses detect, while only 20% comes from our taste buds.