So a bit of a weird post.
I can't seem to smell juniper anymore. I used to get a really strong sense on juniper, and the first time I smelt fresh juniper berries i was like "Yeah! thats gin!"
Its not just for my spirits either - I can't seem to discern it in other commercial spirits.
Now don't get me wrong - I can smell. I had deviated septum surgery about 2 years back and suddenly all sorts of strong smells like the meat section at the supermarket and I discovered zoos didn't smell all that pleasant either. I can smell gins, but not to the level I used to be able to. For example a cardamom forward gin I can pick up no problem. Roku I could easily detect the piney note and a pepper finish - but I just can't smell juniper.
Is this just because my nose is now blind to it, or is it something else? Maybe its a hang over from when I had covid the first time back in January.
Has anyone else noticed something similar?
Any chance you got Covid? I have patients who had mild/asymptomatic cases over a year ago and they're still having trouble smelling certain things. That bug really likes to tear up the olfactory nerve. I think it's unlikely they'll get it all back given the nature of brain tissue. The olfactory nerve is just an extension of your brain that protrudes through your skull into the back of your nose. Brain tissue is terribly difficult if not impossible to repair after adolescence.
Most likely it's from having covid. I work a lot with and research flavors/fragrances and I have been seeing a lot of stories like "why don't lilacs have smell this year?" It seems to just be certain smells.