On the 22nd of Shevat (this year, Thursday Feb. 1), we commemorate the passing of Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka (wife of the Lubavitcher Rebbe King Moshiach Shlita, may he be parted for good long life). Chaya is “life” and Mushka is a type of fragrance.
At the Havdalah ritual that we do at the end of Shabbos, we make a blessing and smell fragrant spices to restore the soul that is not feeling good that the extra Shabbos soul has left.
In many cases we are supposed to recite a blessing before smelling something fragrant. There are even different forms of the blessing depending on if the fragrance is an herb, fruit, wood or something else. The most general, inclusive form of the blessing is “...Borei Minei V’samim” (“...Who creates types of fragrances”). There are exceptions; we don’t say a blessing on a fragrance that is being used to take away a bad smell, for example.
In contrast to food, the soul, rather than the body, benefits from fragrance.
(See talk of the Lubavitcher Rebbe King Moshiach Shlita, 22 Shevat 5752 (1992) and more)
