There is no difference in meaning. Do you have the full context. "smelling" and "feeling freedom" "fell the smell of freedom" and "smelling the feel of freedom" are probably related to a prisoner becoming free or released/escaped from prison/jail. You can fell smells. Just leave the polluted inner cities and travel to the seaside, coast, countryside and smell the fresh air and the sensation it leaves in your nostrils. "smell that fresh air" "feel that fresh air" are two common expressions at least in the UK

You don't feel a smell. You "smell a smell." Yes, sometimes we actually use that phrasing. For example, I just did a search and found that in one of Beatrix Potter's childrens' books, a character says ""I smell a smell of honey; is it the cowslips outside, in the hedge?" If you are writing yourself, be careful about using the word "smell" because it is culturally tricky. In fact it is so complicated I can't even begin to explain it. Let's just say that "I smell your aftershave" might be appropriate in some situations, but "I smell you" usually isn't.

I don't think you can ever "feel a smell" in English, so I think that is not grammatically correct. "Freedom" is an abstract noun, so you don't need "the." "Smelling freedom" is grammatical, but it is unnatural and I am not sure what you mean. I think maybe something like "life is about experiencing freedom" sounds better to a native speaker.