Collocations for whiff - noun

faint, slight
strong
unmistakable (often figurative)
The unmistakable whiff of electoral blackmail could be detected.

deep

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

take
She took a deep whiff of his aftershave.

have (often figurative)
The proposal had the whiff of a hoax about it.

whiff of
a whiff of perfume

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