Things That Smell Great and Taste Terrible

[scotpens]

. . . Cigars smell disgusting. Cigarettes smell almost as disgusting.

For me it's the other way around. Cigar smoke stinks, but cigarette smoke is ten times worse. I know because I grew up in a time when it seemed like everybody smoked. The stench of stale cigarette smoke hung in the air in just about every public indoor space. Few cars had seatbelts, but every car had a lighter and at least four ashtrays.

Pipe smoke actually smells fairly pleasant. YMMV.

 

[Kestra]

Cigarette smoke used to not really bother me, which is surprising with my asthma. I've noticed recently though, that just walking past someone smoking can be extremely irritating to my respiratory system. I think I'm just not used to it at all anymore since all the bans started.

 

[Halmirdax]

Strawberry laces soap, man that stuff smells amazing! Not so good to taste.
Food wise...lots of gluten free things.

 

[SmoothieX]

A girl I used to date in college.

 

[Gary Mitchell]

Paste. In kindergarten and first grade I loved to stick my nose in the can. The two or three times I tasted it (I was stubborn) were not so good. It was nice and creamy but I didn't like the taste. I probably should have sampled another brand. Maybe granola would help. I agree with the others about coffee ...vile stuff.

 

[trekkiedane]

Petrol

Rubber.
Fireworks.
Leather.


Considering edible things though, I too can't think of any now when forced to

Fruit flavoured teas! -Smells fantastic (not unlike certain soaps and shampoos and erasers), but I always find the taste rather 'chemical'.
Malibu Rum, same as above.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

Cigars. Really.

For those who think coffee is too bitter, here's a British Army trick: try it with a tiny pinch of salt. Completely ameliorates the bitterness. But only tiny, otherwise salty coffee.

Once, as a prank, my brother switched the salt & sugar. My Mom had really salty coffee.


Lemon Pledge, latex paint and another vote for coffee.

 

[Tora Ziyal]

. . . Cigars smell disgusting. Cigarettes smell almost as disgusting.

For me it's the other way around. Cigar smoke stinks, but cigarette smoke is ten times worse. I know because I grew up in a time when it seemed like everybody smoked. The stench of stale cigarette smoke hung in the air in just about every public indoor space. Few cars had seatbelts, but every car had a lighter and at least four ashtrays.

Yes, I remember those days. Actually, I remember when no cars had seat belts.

 

[propita]

Paste. In kindergarten and first grade I loved to stick my nose in the can. The two or three times I tasted it (I was stubborn) were not so good. It was nice and creamy but I didn't like the taste. I probably should have sampled another brand. Maybe granola would help. I agree with the others about coffee ...vile stuff.

Really?! I thought paste tasted much better than it smelled. Of course, I was 5yo.

 

[Sephiroth]

Petrol

Not quite what the OP wanted:

Freon--but it smells bad and tastes worse. Needed to siphon from a five gallon drum. The only siphon we had was a tube you stuck in your mouth and sucked on. Yeah.

Well, I did include play dough in my original post, so I guess anything's fair game.

I guess I was thinking of things that smell so good you desire to consume it, but it is unsatisfying when you do. When I was younger I loved the smell of petrol as well, but I can't say I ever wanted to drink it!

Vanilla essence.

This is a good one! That stuff smells sooo good. Sometimes when I am cooking with it I will crack open the bottle just to get a whiff. And I suppose it does taste good, when mixed with other things, but I'm certain it wouldn't taste so lovely if you drank it straight.

it's a tasty way to get drunk, stuff's as strong as tequila

 

[JirinPanthosa]

Really hoppy beers.

 

[Australis]

Anyone tried the pinch of salt in coffee thing yet? I can vouch for it.

 

[trekkiedane]

^No salt in my coffee, but that's because I've stumbled over an ancient truth: the cheaper the beans the more bitter the coffee they make is! - and of course you have to remove the foamy stuff that floats on top of the liquid when brewing - and not use boiling water (but water that has 'just been boiling' - in the range of 195 - 205 degrees Fahrenheit is what an experienced barista would say) and don't make filter-coffee as the filter not only holds back the grinds, but also some of the oils that makes for a 'rounder' taste in the finished brew - and the roast is a factor and the grind and how long you let the ground beans be in contact with the water...

Basically I'm trying to say that coffee not only is an acquired taste (even I started drinking it as mostly milk and sugar with only a small amount of actual coffee in the mug!) it is also a science.

I would however like to put a question to the coffee-haters:

How do you like the taste of chocolate?

Mostly people that don't like the taste of coffee also don't like the taste of chocolate -or only eat chocolate that is more milk and fat than actual cocoa.

 

[Sam_I_Am]

Bacon always smells so great, but its taste is generally underwhelming. Not bad, but it never lives up to its smell. Coffee, like others have said, always smells heavenly but tastes awful.

 

[RoJoHen]

Really hoppy beers.

Mmmm...my favorite.

 

[1001001]

For me it's coffee. The heavenly aroma that fills a space when it's brewed cannot overcome the dire taste of drinking liquid dirt. So I'm a very happy tea drinker, in fact I think I'll put on my very special kettle and brew myself a cup.

This. I HATE, HATE, HATE the taste of coffee, but I like the smell of it. I like walking down the coffee aisle at the H.E.B., because of the smell, but drinking coffee? ACK. That's some f***ing bitter crap, no matter how much sugar you put in it. I'll drink hot chocolate or tea, but never coffee. Bleh.

Coffee is what came to mind for me as well. How can something smell so wonderful and taste so terrible? It's such a liar.

Excellent, more coffee for me.

Now I'm craving a cup, but it being 2 o'clock in the morning, that would probably not be the best idea. Plus, I'm almost out - I have to pick some up when I go grocery shopping this weekend.

Agreed. Coffee is magnificent. But my wife is with the others: she loves the smell of it, but can't stand the taste. Looks like there's a lot of people like that around...

I've been wracking my brain trying to think of anything that fits into this category for me, and I'm failing utterly.

Me too. I can't really come up with anything.

 

[The Boy Who Cried Worf]

Ditto, for me on the coffee. My old work used to brew hazelnut coffee in this tiny room, and the aroma was so heavenly I just had to try a cup. Nope. Still tasted like embalming fluid, the extra bitter kind.

 

[Spot's Meow]

I hate the taste of coffee as well, but unlike most of the folks in this thread, I also hate the smell! Reminds me of the smell of cigarette smoke.

I would however like to put a question to the coffee-haters:

How do you like the taste of chocolate?

Mostly people that don't like the taste of coffee also don't like the taste of chocolate -or only eat chocolate that is more milk and fat than actual cocoa.

I love milk chocolate, but I don't like dark chocolate at all. Too bitter.

 

[Sector 7]

Oh yes, cigars smell wonderful but I'm sure I wouldn't like to smoke one.

^OMG, my turn to say you're doing it wrong! Cigars smell disgusting. Cigarettes smell almost as disgusting. Some pipe tobacco smells good.

Long ago, I used to put pipe tobacco in decorative ashtrays throughout the house... the way some people use potpourri. My favorite was Cherry Vanilla!

Bacon always smells so great, but its taste is generally underwhelming. Not bad, but it never lives up to its smell. Coffee, like others have said, always smells heavenly but tastes awful.

Bacon, for me, is just the opposite. I nearly gag at the smell of bacon cooking, yet LOVE the taste of bacon. I have it rarely, because I tend to overindulge when bacon is around.

I like coffee, but only if I add a flavored creamer to it. As for my chocolate, I have always loved Dark... even as a little kid.

 

[Owain Taggart]

Really hoppy beers.

Same here. There's a trend with microbreweries overhopping everything. I like it as an accent to a balanced brew, but when it's a dominant ingredient, I have a hard time drinking it due to the overwhelming bitterness. As a result, I don't like most Pale Ales and ESB's.