Chandler Burr, a magazine writer and author, will debut in the August 27 issue of the newspaper's style magazine.

His column will be called "Scent Strip," and in it he will rate perfumes using a four-star system similar to one the paper's food critic employs.

Poor or satisfactory perfumes will receive no stars, while those with extraordinary scents will earn four.

If Burr follows in the tradition of other opinionated Times critics, perfume makers beware. The scent had better be up to snuff.

The column will appear frequently in the style magazine, which has eight remaining issues this year and 16 slated for 2007.

Inside its pages, Burr will review old and new fragrances for men and women and perfumed candles.

Burr said he intends to take his new position very seriously.

"The creation of fragrance is one of the highest art forms crafted for the senses, the equal of painting for sight and music for hearing, and this column is about treating perfume as the art that it is," Burr said in a statement. "Every other true art has a serious criticism. I believe perfume should as well."

Burr, 42, is the author of "The Emperor of Scent: A True Story of Perfume and Obsession," published by Random House in 2003.