The Power of Smell
Luis Ayala, Rum Consultant and CEO of Rum Central
When we detect a smell, consciously or not, the olfactory receptors in the upper part of our nose send electrical signals to our brain, along the olfactory nerve. The signal is received by the olfactory bulb, which then re-transmits it to other areas closely connected to it, which are collectively known as the Limbic System. Unlike our other physical senses, our sense of smell is the only one with a direct connection into the Limbic System, which is responsible for processing –among other things- emotions and memory. For this reason, scientists consider that of all our senses, the olfactory one is the most significant trigger of memory.
Think about how the smell of a certain spice or condiment can transport your mind to your mother’s or grandmother’s kitchen, or how the smell of a certain perfume or cologne can bring memories of a departed loved one. This power is not lost on marketers, who have learned to manipulate the scents in hotels, cars and shopping centers, with scientific studies demonstrating how people are more likely to spend time and money in stores with certain aromas than in equivalent un-scented establishments.
But can this apply to rum? Well, yes, it can! It is said that one of the advantages of well-rectified, charcoal-filtered neutral rum, is that it mixes very well in cocktails, regardless of what the mixers are. These insipid products do not have any congeners that can interfere with other flavors, so of course they are great for mixology. But being devoid of aroma-emanating congeners also puts them at a disadvantage, since there are countless consumers who’ve enjoyed freshly-squeezed sugarcane juice and who’d love to find hints of that goodness in their rum. The same applies to lightly caramelized cane syrup, panela, jaggery, piloncillo and other forms of brown sugar: they are the key to numerous childhood memories for countless people around the world, and the leading rum brands are missing out on the opportunity to showcase those innate recollection triggers in their products!
Good bartenders will still be able to create excellent cocktails using higher-congener white rums; they will actually enjoy the challenge and will be happier to serve the drink, knowing they are working with innate and intrinsic aromas that can be traced all the way back to the sugarcane.
Cheers,
Luis Ayala, Editor and Publisher