Our London team recently had the pleasure of returning to Abbey Road Studios to partake in a showcase of sound’s effects on taste. Curated for a group of Hennessy mixologists, the program was organized by Producer Wez who wanted to demonstrate how different sounds can emphasize different notes/tones of the same food.
The guests strapped into their SUBPAC‘s and were presented with an assortment of sounds and snacks specifically produced and organized to familiarize them with the immersive sensation. After they had some time to get comfortable with the feeling, the mixologists got to use a stocked Hennessy bar to create drinks alongside various compositions designed to emphasize different flavours i.e. sweet/salty/bitter/sour.
While the science is clear that there is a crossmodal effect between our sense of hearing and taste, Producer Wez also pointed out that the effects can often be quite subjective leading to differences in experiences. Despite some conflicting results, many of the guests did often agree on the specific taste that was being highlighted by the sounds being played. The sounds included a range between John Lennon to ASMR to the resonant frequency of Earth.
In light of this newfound knowledge, we will now be looking into using bass to make airplane food taste better. ✈️🔊🍽️