aromawheel

An aromawheel is a visual tool used to describe and categorize aromas, particularly in the context of wine tasting and other sensory analysis. It functions similarly to a color wheel, with different segments representing various aroma families and sub-categories. The wheel typically starts with broad categories, such as "fruit," "floral," or "spicy," and then branches out into more specific descriptors within each category. For example, the "fruit" category might contain segments for "citrus," "berry," and "stone fruit," which in turn could further subdivide into specific fruits like lemon, raspberry, or peach.

The purpose of an aromawheel is to aid in the identification and articulation of complex scent profiles. By providing a structured framework and a comprehensive list of potential aromas, it helps tasters to better recognize and recall specific scents. This can be especially useful for novices who are developing their olfactory vocabulary. Aromas can be linked or placed adjacent to each other on the wheel to illustrate potential relationships or how one aroma might evolve into another. While most commonly associated with wine, similar wheels have been developed for other products like coffee, beer, and even cheese to assist in sensory evaluation.