Spicy

Black pepper smells sharp, dry, and almost peppery—obviously—but not like the dusty spice in your kitchen cupboard. Imagine biting into a fresh peppercorn: there's an initial brightness, almost citrusy, followed by a warming, slightly woody heat that tingles your nostrils. It's spicy without burning, with an almost piney, green undertone. The sensation is crisp and energising, like inhaling cool air that somehow feels warm simultaneously.

Smoky & Earthy

Wood smoke doesn't smell like a bonfire's acrid sting. Instead, imagine stepping into a cabin where the fireplace has just been extinguished—warm, slightly sweet, with whispers of charred oak and ash. There's an earthy darkness to it, reminiscent of smouldering logs, dried leather left near a hearth, and the faint mineral tang you'd find in cold stone after a fire's been burning all night. It's comforting yet haunting, never sharp or unpleasant.