[carlmr]

>I am left wondering if anything approaching a "standard" exists for smells ...

You can buy tasting kits for whiskey or wine. They include individual scents like peaty, smokey, oaky, blackberry even some weird ones like band-aid. You can use them to train your nose to deconstruct the smell of whiskey or wine.

It's really eye opening (or nose opening if you will). Since you might even find you suddenly agree with the tasting notes on the bottle.

[Bluestein]

Interesting. Also, if I may, it seems to me there's more individual variation in "smell discernment" ability among individuals than there is for other senses.-

ie. so called "super-noses" vs. "scent deaf" people.-

[carlmr]

With these tasting kits, I noticed I can discern the smells quite well, but I can't place them. But maybe that just takes more training.

[Bluestein]

PS. Hyperosmic is the word I was looking for.-