Would you be able to match scents with countries?

Spain, Mexico, Turkey, United Arab Emirates or Singapore. What is their most known smell? What comes to your mind? Orange blossom, mint, incense, jasmine, coral?

We have already told you about the scientific connection between smell, memory and behaviour. However, there are other aspects we must consider when we talk about smell and they are culture and geographical factor.

“In combination with vision and tactility, smell and the other apparently “non-spatial” senses provide considerable enrichment of our sense of space and the character of place”. (The Smell Reader, edited by Jim Drobnick).

This means we can easily associate determinate smell to places we have visited or places we have lived in. The scent of the rosemary outside our house, the fragrance of the roses in our neighbours’ garden or the smell of wet grass in the country side, for sure all of us have in mind a specific smell we can associate to a determinate place.

We thought that you would be curious about which are the most recognisable smells in the countries where Eurofragance operates so here you have:

  • Spain. Lavender in Barcelona, orange blossom in Seville or citruses in Valencia. These are some of the scents which are typical in Spanish culture.
  • Mexico. This country has got a wide diversity of flowers and typical foods that can definitely make people remember it like for example Jamaica flower, which is also used to make infusions.
  • Turkey. Widely known as the Spices bazar, Turkey is famous by the variety of spices that you can find everywhere in Turkish territory. Cinnamon, cayenne pepper or saffron are some of the common smells and flavours. And don´t forget about the beautiful roses and its delicate scent.
  • United Arab Emirates. Same as Turkey, the UAE are well-known for the variety of spices that can be tasted and smelled in its restaurants and shops. Musk, rose, jasmine or saffron form part of the large variety of scents and flavours which are used in perfumes and also meals. Impossible to forget the oudh! It is the cornerstone of Arab perfumery, an exotic wood derived from the tropical Agar tree and whose resin is deliciously scented.
  • Singapore. Durian. The main example of the importance of culture and geography to define taste for different scents. Durian is a polemical exotic fruit that has, let´s say, a difficult smell but a tasty flavour for those who recognize that love it.

What scents remind you of your country?