In fact, the smell is not so bad. It's just very, very strong. So strong that it is illegal to transport durians on the subway. I can easily tell when my neighbors have opened a durian. Everyone else in the building can also tell.
Most foreigners here find it impossible to get past the smell.
Smell and taste are connected of course. Plug up your nose completely and you can't taste the difference between an onion, a potato, and an apple. So, the only way you can truly appreciate the complicated flavor of the durian is to come to an understanding about its odour. You're close to the fruit, intimate with its inner secrets, so strong and sensual. Its heady ripeness and creamy custard flesh draws you in and it does seem to have a slightly intoxicating effect.