SMELLBOOK REFERENCE · SB-0021
Wood Smoke
Permanent ID: smellbook: · updated 2026-10-06, revision 4
Character EDITORIAL
Wood smoke smells dry, warm and smoky, with a sharp, slightly bitter edge and soft woody sweetness underneath.
Words: smoky, dry, warm, woody. Families: Temperature and texture, Wood, earth and stone, Cooked and fermented.
Evidence
Scientific evidence
- Phenolic odorants in hardwood smoke (CLM-WOODSMOKE-001). Timothy Vazquez, Edisson Tello & Devin G. Peterson, Identification of the Key Aroma Compounds in Condensed Hardwood Smoke, Molecules, 2025.
Molecules named in these claims: 4-methylguaiacol, 4-methylsyringol, guaiacol, 2,3-butanedione. A molecule listed here is named in a VERIFIED claim about this smell. It is not presented as the cause of the smell; each claim says what its source supports.
Cite
SmellBook. (2026). Wood Smoke (revision 4, 2026-10-06). SmellBook Public Atlas. smellbook:smell:wood-smoke. https://smellbook.com/smells/wood-smoke
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