How To Use Aroma Kit? Aroma Kit FAQsUpdated 5 months ago
What is the difference between Le Nez du Vin and NVWA kits?
TasteCoach Aroma Kits are specially curated by Catherine Bugue DipWSET, our Director of Education, and her team of experts. This comprehensive kit is designed to align perfectly with the WSET Systematic Approach to Tasting, so if you are studying for WSET Exam, you will find this very useful!
🌹 What is the best kit to start with?
This depends on your needs. Do you want to better identify a certain set of aromas for WSET or just have trouble naming all of them? Or do wine faults really puzzle you? Obviously, the more comprehensive 54-aroma kit will help you explore the most aromas.
To whom would you recommend different kits, e.g., wine faults?
Everyone! These are the most common faults we may encounter at some time. Being able to pinpoint these separates the novice from the experienced sommelier.
How long do the kits last?
Aroma kits are guaranteed for 5 years and, if they’ve been kept in cool, dark conditions, they will last at least 10 years. Some chemical compounds may alter quicker than others, especially with light and heat, but 5 years is the minimum threshold.
Are the aromas natural or how are they made?
Aromas are, insofar as possible, of natural origin.
Le Nez du Vin, Le Nez du Café and Le Nez du Whisky aromas are made from both natural and synthetic ingredients (about 50/50).
Why do we use synthetic (man-made, artificial) ingredients?
1) It makes good economic and environmental sense
The natural product extract cannot be found on the market, and is too expensive to make.
For example, saffron: There is no point in getting saffron extract, as 1 kilogram of saffron extract would cost hundreds of thousands of euros!
2) For the aroma quality to be consistent
Fruit extraction techniques tend to degrade the product and bring out notes that are not always pleasant. For example, the banana natural extract can smell bad and the natural strawberry and apricot aromas are not stable.
Modern perfumery uses synthetic raw materials. The first perfume ever made from these new products was the famous Chanel No. 5, created in 1925, formulated with an aldehyde. Synthetic raw materials developed thanks to petroleum chemistry possess olfactory qualities that are quite comparable to those of natural raw materials.
What contributes to the price of the aroma kits?
Both production methods described above and shipping from France contribute to their overall cost.
How do you use the aroma kits correctly?
That’s completely up to you! Ideally, you are training your nose to identify and name the aroma so you can increase your olfactory ‘palette’ and better describe the attributes of a wine. But Aroma kits are great tools for anyone wanting to learn and develop their sense of smell and memory. Aroma kits can also be great games and activities for parties or get togethers. Here’s another article of how aa student utilized them: https://www.wineenthusiast.com/culture/wine/the-benefits-of-learning-with-a-wine-aroma-kit/
Where can you ship the aroma kits? Are there any restrictions?
We can only ship the Le Nez du Vin Aroma kits within the United States. Anyone wishing to purchase aroma kits outside the US can source them from that country's supplier. We order ours from the sole supplier in the United States. They are shipped directly from their warehouse in Utah. All Le Nez du Vin Aroma kits are made in France.
More Resources:
https://www.lenez.com/en/FAQ https://www.winearomas.com/whatisit.html