The aromas that warn me, make my head rear back from the aroma, are from a solvent aroma like turpentine, menthol, or catpiss. But there may be another that might be key, a metalic smell.to me when i smell "thai" in a haze or whatever, the smells seem to warn me of danger.
When I was a kid smoking Thai Sticks, they made my teeth buzz. It was different than the electric shock going down my spine. It reminded me of bumping my elbow and going numb. My mind associates that metal smell with the teeth buzzing. I make it sound like it was adulterated with something. It wasn't.
I know it wasn't adulterated because I have had two successful attemps at growing Thai Stick. Once was in the 80s when HID lamps first became available. I had some seeds back then. I got very similar Thai Stick effects with one of my first HID indoor grows. Another time was when I found a special Neville's Haze. It was one of about 36 seeds I was testing of Hazes, Neville's, Original, and Willy Jack Haze. I failed on all those attemps (hay) except that freaky Neville's pheno. It was mind blowing. I grew it for 16 weeks in veg, and 18 weeks in flower. It started out a very slow grower, and ended as a Dr. Grinspoon type pheno. I got less than an ounce under two 400 watt lights. It was, by far, the best weed I ever smoked. And oh, it had that metalic smell also.