There are thousands of perfumes on the market. They're as manifold and distinct as wines but far more important to get right. Which, after all, is more likely to spoil your meal: a bad cabernet in your own glass, or a bad perfume or cologne on anyone in the room? Besides, the mystery of wine is mitigated by an enormous wing of writing: histories, guidebooks, magazines, Web sites. Not so with scent; there's almost nothing to steer the novice. At least, there hasn't been until now.
— From The Sweet Smell of Success: The mysterious art of writing about perfume, a review of Perfumes: The Guide (by Luca Turin & Tania Sanchez, for anyone who hasn't been paying attention) at Slate. Many thanks to Ruth for the link! If you missed it, here is Marcello's review, and our recent Q & A session with the authors.
