10 Sensory Games For The Bar

Also suitable for hotels, restaurants and hospitality venues, these games engage guests, helping them get to know one another, build relationships and create an unforgettable experience.

Words by Luigi Odello.

Over the years, Narratori del Gusto has created unforgettable sensory experiences designed to generate engaging stories about products and their territories.

For the first time, 10 of these games were tested with 27 hospitality professionals, who evaluated each one. Below is a very brief summary of the games carried out, with ratings expressed on a decimal scale.

All were appreciated — proof that the selection was well considered — although differences in preference did emerge.

Train your nose — 9.02
Each participant receives a sheet and a pen. Twenty olfactory standards contained in small vials are distributed. Players smell the standards and try to match each aroma with the correct name suggested on a sheet. At the end, the facilitator corrects the results, assigning one point for each correct answer.

Average performance? About 50%, although some participants managed to identify the entire set.

This was the most appreciated game because it can be done without assistance, either alone or in company — essentially a real tabletop game that encourages customers to stay longer or makes waiting time more pleasant.

The triangle of perception — 8.98
Three samples from the same category — two identical and one different. Who has senses sharp enough to identify the odd one out?

The player tastes the three products in the order set by the facilitator and must guess which sample is different. At the end, the products are described.

This game opens up strong dialogue about local products — especially for those who know how to tell their story.

Discover the ingredient — 8.76
Participants receive two different tasting samples and a list of ingredients. The player tastes sample 1 and sample 2 and indicates which ingredients belong to each product by marking the appropriate column, including any ingredients common to both.

At the end, the products are described.

Turn off your sight — 8.60
The player is blindfolded and tastes two samples from the same category but with different sensory and technical characteristics (for example, young vs. aged grappa). Focusing on smell, taste and tactile sensations, the participant must guess which sample has the characteristic chosen by the facilitator (e.g., which is aged).

At the end, the products are described.

The pairing game — 8.25
The player receives a reference product (for example, a dessert), up to five pairing samples (for example, wines), and a game sheet. The participant tastes the reference and then each pairing sample, ranking them in descending order of preference according to how successful they believe the pairing is.

The pleasure and luxury Olympics — 8.15
Players are given three product samples and a sheet showing two Olympic-style podiums: one for pleasure and one for luxury, each with first, second and third place. Samples are labeled A, B and C.

Players taste and place the samples on the podiums using the corresponding letters.

This is not just a game but also a powerful test to understand which product is most liked and which is considered more prestigious.

The balance of perception — 7.69
The player tastes a sample and indicates on a sheet the percentage of a specific ingredient present (for example, sugar in chocolate or alcohol in wine).

At the end, information about the sample is revealed.

The geometry of aroma — 7.68
In at least three differently shaped glasses, three scented balls soaked in the same aroma — or a product with strong personality (wine, liqueur, juice) — are placed. Each player smells from the different glasses and indicates on a sheet the perceived intensity and pleasantness.

At the end, the characteristics of the glasses are explained and the variations caused by geometry are discussed.

The aroma tree — 7.56
The player receives a sample and an “Aroma Tree” sheet from which some descriptors have been removed. Each participant tastes the product and completes the tree by writing the missing descriptors.

The winner is the person who completes the aroma tree correctly.

Find the aroma — 7.24
The player tastes the first sample (preferably solid with a clear aroma, such as jelly or candy) while holding their nose closed and keeping their lips sealed once the sample is in the mouth.

The goal is to focus only on tactile and taste perception. After about ten seconds, the participant opens their mouth, releases their nose and breathes. They then write the aroma they perceive on the sheet.

The participant repeats the process with other samples.