I have an "Odorama" scratch n' sniff card from the John Waters' cult classic film Polyester. I'm pleased to say that the smells still work, even after all of the years of storage and use. This convinces me that the simple chemistry involved is robust and long lasting, and therefore viable for other outcomes.

I propose one of these outcomes is the halfbaked idea entitled "Eau de Mumbai".

Many parts of the world are characterised by their smell, and it's often the subject of remarks. The smells of India are never forgotten, and of course for most people never experienced. Eau de Mumbai brings them into the palm of your hand, allowing you to scratch n' sniff from a large number of different parts of the world and experience the prevailing odour(s).

Some of these are refreshing, like crunching on alpine needles in a forest in Finland, but others may be less so, like the smell of the air after a day of nasty combat in a street in Idlib, Syria.

I always remember the smell of Chicago when I first went there and saw green flames belching skywards at night from the chimneys in Gary, Indiana.

What does the North Pole smell like? I have no idea. What does Bejing smell like on the days when it's so polluted, you're advised not to go out. Or how about a spice factory in a backstreet in Dhaka? Wet Irish Setter dog drying in front of a turf fire? What's it like to experience the subtle lingering prehistoric smell of the Lascaux's caves in The Dordogne, home of the famous cave paintings?

Eau de Mumabai enables you to choose from a menu of numerous smells, and have your own customised scratch n' sniff card made to order, for your personal use; to satisfy your curiosity, or as an aide memoire gift for a special friend to bring back recollections of a unique place in time. (my running socks draped over a radiator in Amsterdam after an early morning trip around Vondel Park! ha)
-- xenzag, Feb 20 2020

SmellJet Printer SmellJet_20Printer
Prior Art [8th of 7, Feb 20 2020]

Odorama https://dangerousmi...immick_in_polyester
scratch n'sniff from Polyester [xenzag, Feb 20 2020]

"Strawberries" by The Damned https://en.wikipedi...trawberries_(album)
Included a strawberry scented insert for the song lyrics. I have it & confirm that, nearly 40 years later & as of 30 seconds ago, it still smells of strawberries. Just about. [DrBob, Feb 23 2020]

And then there's this ... https://www.bbc.com...oscow-perfume-store
[pertinax, Feb 27 2020]

We have an unlabelled small wide-mouthed screwtop jar, half full of a thick orange-yellow gel.*

At the beginning of the working day, it's always good to take the lid off and sniff the aroma, because we love the smell of napalm in the morning ...

// Gary, Indiana //

Oh, ye gods ... you too ?

If Frodo had ever been to Gary, Mordor would seem like a walk in the park.

Also, <link>

*This is true. We have pictures. And very nervous cow-orkers.
-- 8th of 7, Feb 20 2020


I went to Slough many years ago and it smelled of chocolate in a bad way because of the Mars factory.
-- DenholmRicshaw, Feb 20 2020


That's probably the baleful influence of Slough rather than any intrinsic problem with the chocolate, although the stuff Mars make only just squeezes into the legal definition, being composed as far as possible of "cheap filler".
-- 8th of 7, Feb 20 2020


//Eau de Mumbai //

Ahh, the wonderful smells of vehicle exhaust, cow poo, and desperation all rolled up into a magical scent you'll never forget!
-- Voice, Feb 20 2020


Biological weapon. [+]
-- whatrock, Feb 20 2020


whatrock-you funny.
-- blissmiss, Feb 20 2020


// magical //

Yes, in the Saruman - Voldemort - Morgan le Fay sense ...

" There were places in the world commemorating those times when wizards hadn’t been quite as clever as that, and on many of them the grass would never grow again."
-- 8th of 7, Feb 20 2020


[8th] you may enjoy the Wizardry series by Rice Cook.
-- Voice, Feb 20 2020


It would be interesting if the scratch initiated a dissolve to give an aroma 'song' as layered notes aerosol.

A diesel truck smelling past in the dust and populous.
-- wjt, Feb 22 2020


The North Pole smells like nothing. Smells don’t last long in winter air.
-- RayfordSteele, Feb 23 2020


What does it smell like in the summer?
-- Voice, Feb 23 2020


Seawater...
-- 8th of 7, Feb 23 2020


I still smell the early morning aroma of fresh tortillas being made, (corn), on the streets of Barra de Navidad, a small fishing village on the coast of western Mexico. Best smell ever. (With a nice Cerveza for breakfast to go with it. Hey, we were on vaca.)
-- blissmiss, Feb 23 2020


Vaca ?

You were on a cow ? A Mexican cow ?

That seems ... unusual.
-- 8th of 7, Feb 23 2020


Uh oh. Did I misspeak?
-- blissmiss, Feb 23 2020


The jury's still out on that one ...
-- 8th of 7, Feb 23 2020


//Best smell ever.//

I would disagree. I used to work 100 yards from the Harvey's brewery in Lewes. The thirst-inducing smell of yeasty goodness when they emptied the tanks in the afternoon is easily the best smell ever.

This, of course, only serves to highlight the need for this idea to be implemented as soon as possible. That way a proper comparison can be made by independent observers & then we can all agree that I am right.
-- DrBob, Feb 23 2020


//Slough [...] smelled of chocolate in a bad way//

Bournville*, on the other hand, used to smell of chocolate in a good way. I can't vouch for how it smells now.

*A real place, suburb of Birmingham, and not just a made-up brand name like Lymeswold
-- pertinax, Feb 27 2020



random, halfbakery