Instead, his nostrils were scorched with a noxious odor of sulfur, burned hair and cloying incense.
The smells of flowers were quite delightful to his nostrils. 
mnli hypothesis: The smells of flowers were quite delightful to his nostrils.  premise: Instead, his nostrils were scorched with a noxious odor of sulfur, burned hair and cloying incense.