What Weirdness is this?

It does sound as though you aren't getting the smell of things both those coffees are usually quite aromatic. Have you got a cold coming perhaps? If this continues and it affects more things it might be worth a chat with your GP in case you have a nasal polyp or something.

My month old jar of Douwe has a strong coffee smell I just had a sniff

Try other distinctive smells, are there any others that you have lost. We have a friend who lost her sense of smell for months, it is no returning.

Not relevant if she can smell her old jar. Just smelt the jar of Nescafé original and yes there is a smell but not really a coffee smell.

Let's all smell our instant cofffee

Right now I'm laid in bed with a fat cat perched on me as near to round my neck as he can get. I can smell him, that is enough

gettingonabit have you had a virus recently? This happened to me several years ago. The weirdest experience. I couldn't smell bad smells at all, but things like washing powder, anything perfumed, good food smells, to me smelt like rotting corpse! ?I was constantly gagging. I had all sorts of tests, including an MRI scan, to check out what might be the cause. Eventually it was concluded that the problem was caused by a virus. It took about 2 years for the problem to gradually improve. My sense of smell is still not great but nothing like the above.

If you find that this applies to all sorts of smells rather than just instant coffee, I would suggest you go to your GP. I have just stuck my nose into a jar of M&S cafe noir instant and it smells ok. But perhaps the brands you mentioned have changed something in their processing.

Did you check the sell-by dates - if it's a little corner shop - may have lost its zing if it's out of date. Aside of that not sure. We are currently using Azera Americano which i must admit is actually a bit bland.

Thanks all. I can smell other smells and they seem to be normal.

I can't taste a coffee taste either; I'm going to have a coffee somewhere this morning to check I haven't lost the use of my coffee taste buds.

I'm really frustrated! I'm not an aficionado and don't much like the "proper" stuff.

I can't believe BOTH brands have changed their makeup.

I hope it's not a conspiracy to get us onto that "barista" stuff. .

Sorry cross post with crisscross (try saying that without your teeth in..).

No, not a corner shop. A Co-Op (albeit a "cornery" one. Their stuff is fresh afaik.

Er, I never drink instant coffee as it has no smell or taste compared with the real thing ground freshly from beans just before you make it!

Agreed, mary - many instant coffees don't have a smell, but both Douwe and GB have a very rich, aromatic smell. That's why I like them.

Oh dear gettinonabit. I buy Carte Noir Expresso and it's very aromatic, but I just opened a jar at the weekend and cannot smell it hardly at all. I had that terrible stomach bug recently and before it set in, I was eating a takeaway and thought it tasted 'odd' but it was me as husband said his was fine.

Now I have a cold! So still struggling with taste and smell. This is the second Sunday lunch I have cooked with my husband salivating before serving and nothing for me!

So... hoping you are well as we read.

I remember reading somewhere that they put the smell in after filling and before sealing. I don't know if it's true. Maybe they have stopped doing it to save cost (to them)??

Right, we have both those in the cupboard, I will go and sniff.

I could smell the Gold Blend but not the Douwe Egberts (Decaf.)(although there is not much left in the jar of DE).

Having had another go, I can smell the GB a tiny bit. But not the Douwe. I can't taste anything, either. .

judthepud2 that is interesting as a few years ago I started to smell strange things. I had to see the dr about a sinus problem and I mentioned this and she didn't seem interested. It has slowly got better (both the sinuses and the strange smell) but I don't know if they are connected

Smell and taste are very closely related. The smell is a vital part of your sense of taste.
Colds etc can upset your sense of smell. I hope you get better soon.

Perhaps you have had a slight cold or virus. My sense of smell and taste went completely earlier this year following a nasty virus which may have been flu; GP explained that if the olfactory nerve at the top of the nose gets damaged by a virus, you can't smell or taste anything. The nose usually tells the brain that you have coffee in front of you, the brain relays this to the taste buds and that is how you taste. I've been having acupuncture which is helping and very slowly the sense of smell is returning hopefully soon to be followed by the ability to taste. If it persists best see your GP, as advised here.

Years ago whenIwas a teenager I had glandular fever and lost my sense of smell and taste for months. (My nose was blocked. ). I was particularlyupset that strawberries tasted of nothing! There was no
Pleasure in eating. But gradually taste and smell returned.

Years ago I had a nasty cold just before Christmas - as I sat munching sadly on my Cmas dinner, DH asked whether I was enjoying it... I gazed at him sadly and said that the textures were enjoyable...! It took about 3 months before I could taste anything... (Sorry OP, talk about Job's comforters... )

I am recovering my sense of taste after six months of eating cardboard and putty and it is wonderful, thankfully I did not lose my sense of smell. It was a strange situation and spoilt me enjoyment of dining out.

I've had a takeaway coffee today and it tasted fine! So I don't think it's the taste buds. Just smell buds maybe?