Collocations for whiff - noun

faint | strong | unmistakable
(often figurative) detecting the unmistakable whiff of electoral blackmail

catch, get, detect
I caught the whiff of whisky on his breath. | (figurative) Journalists caught a whiff of scandal and pursued the actress relentlessly.

~ of
a whiff of perfume

at the faintest/first/merest whiff of sth
(figurative) He always retreated emotionally at the first whiff of conflict.