The Scent Atlas · instrument 0195°E—130°E · 9°S—4°N
Six coordinates · six materials
A coordinate is only the beginning.
Choose a point to see how place, material and transformation shape what finally reaches the nose.
Open the Atlas01 — The instrumentChoose a point · use arrow keys to move
Selected Patchouli Aceh. Where is the scent hiding?
One thing to notice
Where is the scent hiding?
Why it mattersIn the leaf—but not quite in the fresh leaf. Patchouli is cut, dried and then steam-distilled. Time changes it twice: first on the mat, then again as the dark oil rests and rounds.
From ground to scent
- 01 · GroundAceh Selatan
- 02 · MaterialShade-dried leaf
- 03 · TransformationSteam-distilled
- 04 · The nose readsEarth · cocoa · timber
01 of 06
Explore Patchouli Aceh 02 — The practiceTemperature · texture · distance · movement
Field Notes · scent school
Smelling is not expertise. It is attention.
Begin with sensation before naming notes: cool or warm, smooth or fibrous, close to skin or filling the room. A practical field exercise shows how.
Practise describing scent