toddler likes intense flavors, smells

Is this normal? DS (2.25) LOVES intense flavors - lemons, pickles,
curry sauce, Ranch dip (this he would eat by the spoonful if I let
him), garlic, onions, etc. Is he likely to continue to like intense
flavors as he grows older? He also smells *everything*. He will ask
what something is and then ask if it is "smelly?" and then he smells
it. (He is pretty verbal.) He also likes to take things and rub them
on his face to feel them - he does this with many things he encounters,
and has done this ever since he was a tiny baby. Do I have a
particularly sensory-focused kid or something? He is also very
compassionate and will comfort others if crying, and will try to "help"
when he sees someone in need. In all of these ways he is different
from all of his peers. I am just wondering if these behaviors are
indicative of anything, or if I should keep my eye on anything else.

TIA for any insight.
-L.