Hi Galen, it is very true that scents are great time machines, capable of bringing you back to places and experiences that are no longer there.
In my case, a very significant scent is from second hand or/and antiquarian bookstores. It is a smell between damp and earthy, nothing exotic.
It is a smell that brings back memories of good times spent with booksellers, who years ago were more than just sellers. I remember the chats with María Fuentetaja, then with her son Bernardo, people of exceptional culture who turned every moment into an opportunity for a get-together.
Smell that gives away my age. Nice topic, Galen.
Isn't it incredible how a simple smell can make one think and feel so much? I think it's cool really, a nice reminder sometimes of better times...of course, smells can make one think of bad times as well I guess.
You are right, smells can also bring back memories of bad situations, which is not bad either, in principle, as it serves to put us on alert.