Many papers have recently discussed the value of a free sorting method as a rapid and simple alternative to quantitative descriptive analysis, considered the reference tool for food sensorial characterization. The aim of the present paper is to evaluate whether this method of free sorting can also be used to investigate the influence of processing parameters. An experimental design was applied to production conditions of enzymatic hydrolysates from salmon by-products. The effect of four processing parameters (time and temperature of hydrolysis, sugar and antioxidant addition) on the odor of the hydrolysates was studied using a sorting task with 45 untrained panelists and a quantitative descriptive analysis carried out with 11 trained panelists. This study on 21 enzymatic hydrolysates confirms the similarity of the two sensory maps and shows the value of free sorting in the sensory characteristic description step, especially to avoid missing some descriptors. It also highlights in this example that a holistic approach as sorting can reveal more easily than profiling the significant effects of process parameters on sensory characteristics and the relationships between sensory dimensions and instrumental measurements of volatile compounds.