A method of improving the note of an essential oil by adding thereto a phenoxyalkanoic acid represented by general formula (I) or a salt thereof in a quantity effective in improving the note, wherein R's are the same or different from one another and each represents hydrogen, halogeno, hydroxy, lower alkyl, lower alkanoyl or lower alkoxy; n represents an integer of 0 to 4; and A represents C1-C5 linear or branched alkylene. This method serves to improve the tastiness of an essential oil by modifying its note.