Woody
Dry grain, timber, pencil-shaving or forest-like character.
SMELLBOOK LEARN · SMELL VOCABULARY
When does woody become smoky?
Smoky
Smoke, ash, charred or resin-burning smell directions.
Only smoky in the Atlas
Described as both
Some smells carry both words, which is often where the difference is easiest to notice.
Try it
Pick one example from each side that you can find nearby. Smell each for a few seconds, rest, then smell the other. Write down the words that come to you before you check the Atlas, and notice where your words agree or differ.
SmellBook Learn is free. Examples come from SmellBook's descriptor pages, which combine each profile's own descriptors with curated lists. Descriptors describe how smells are commonly perceived; they are not objective measurements, and people can reasonably disagree.