Just as one recites blessings before eating or drinking, so too, one must recite a blessing before enjoying a pleasant fragrance. In these cases, too, the text of each blessing suits the type and origin of the aroma.

When the source of the fragrance is from a tree, one recites the blessing,

“Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who creates fragrant trees.”

When the source of the scent is vegetation, one recites the blessing,

“Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who creates fragrant grasses.”

If the fragrance does not fit either of the two categories above, such as if it is extracted from an animal, like musk oil, the blessing is,

“Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who creates various spices.”

If an edible fruit, or its peel, has a strong and pleasant scent, and one wants to enjoy its fragrance, he should first recite the blessing,

“Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who gives fruits pleasant fragrance.”

Some say a slightly different version:

“Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who gave fruits pleasant fragrance.”

If one does not know the source of the pleasant fragrance, for example, whether it is from a tree or another plant; or if one smells fragrances from a variety of sources, mixed together, he recites the blessing, Borei minei vesamim, “Who creates various spices,” as this is a general formula that covers all types of fragrances.

One does not recite a blessing over a fragrance that is dispersed in order to counter an unpleasant odor, such as air freshener or perfumed soap for bathrooms. Likewise, no blessing is recited over synthetic aromas, which are produced in chemical processes from substances that are naturally odorless. One also does not recite a blessing if the source of the fragrance is not present, such as the case of a box that used to contain a fragrant fruit. This is termed “a fragrance without substance.”