Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Flavour of distilled beverages

  • Chapter
Understanding Natural Flavors

Abstract

The quality of distilled alcoholic beverages is affected largely by the presence of volatile compounds formed during the production of the wine or its distillate and during maturation. The quality of grape brandies is influenced by the following factors: climatological conditions, grapes, vinification, distillation and maturation. The first factor cannot be manipulated. To improve or at least to maintain the quality of a product, insight into the effect of each of the other factors is needed. The quality of malt whiskies is similarly influenced by the following factors: climatological conditions, wort production step, fermentation, distillation, maturation and blending. The mechanisms of formation of flavour compounds from wood constituents during maturation has been the subject of many studies but has not yet been fully resolved. Most investigations have been concerned with the maturation of grape brandies, some others with that of whiskies, but no reports on the maturation of rum have been published recently. Governmental institutions and other groups are interested in the development of methods by which the authenticity and origin of a product can be ascertained. Some applications to whisky and grape brandy samples will be described.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Maarse, H. and Visscher, C.A., Volatile Compounds in Food-Qualitative and Quantitative Data, 6th edn., TNO-CIVO Food Analysis Institute, Zeist, Netherlands, 1989.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Cantagrel, R., Mazerolles, G., Vidal, J.P., Lablanque, O. and Boulesteix, J.M., L’Assemblage: Une étape importance dans le procès d’élaboration des cognacs. Symposium Les eaux-de-vie traditionelles d’origine viticole, 1990, Bordeaux 26–30 June.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Baumes, R., Cordonnier, R., Nitz, S. and Drawert, F., Identification and determination of volatile constituents in wines from different vine cultivars. J. Sci. Food Agric., 1986, 37, 927–943.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Cavazza, A., Versini, G., Dalla Serra, A., and Romano, F., Characterization of Six Saccharomyces cerevisiae Strains on the Basis of Their Volatile Compounds Production, as Found in Wines of Different Aroma Profiles. Seventh International Symposium on Yeasts, Wiley, Chichester 1989, pp. 163–167.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Houtman, A.C. and de Plessis, C.S., Influence du cépage et de la souche de levure. Bull. O.I. V., 1985, 58, 235–236.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Polo, M.C., Martin-Cordoro, P. and Cabezudo, M.D., Influence des charactéristiques vartiétales de mout de cépages different sur la fermentation alcoolique par une seule souche de levure sélectionnée. Bulletin O.I.V., 1984, 57, 312–321.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Rooyen, P.C. van, Marais, J. and Ellis, L.P., Multivariate analysis of fermentation flavour profiles of selected South African white wines, in Progress in Flavour Research, (ed. J. Adda), Elsevier 1984, pp. 359–385.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Nishimura, K. and Masuda, M., Identification of some flavour and characteristic compounds in alcoholic beverages, in Flavour Research of Alcoholic Beverages, Instrumental and Sensory Analysis, (eds L. Nykänen and P. Lethonen), Foundation of Biotechnical and Industrial Fermentation, 1984, pp. 111–120.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Yunome, H., Zenibuyashi, Y., and Date, A., Characteristic components of botrytised wine, sugars, alcohols, organic acids and other factors. Hakkokoguka, 1981, 59, 169–175.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Carnacini, A., Amati, A., Capella, P., Casalini, A., Galassi, S. and Riponi, C., Influence of harvesting techniques, grape crushing and wine treatment on the volatile components of white wines. Vitis, 1985, 24, 257–267.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Park, Y.H., Contribution à l’étude des levures de Cognac. I. Etude et classification des levures de Cognac. Connaissance Vigne Vin, 1974, 3, 253–278.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Park, Y.H. and Bertrand, A., Contribution à l’étude des levures de Cognac. II. Etude des produit volatiles formes au cours de la fermentation par le levures de Cognac. Connaissance Vigne Vin, 1974, 4, 343–372.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Galy, B., Lurton, L., and Cantagrel, R., Aspects oenologiques de la vinification Charantaise, Phases Prefermentaire et Fermentaire, Symposium Les eaux-de-vie traditionelles d’origine viticole, 26–30 June, 1990, Bordeaux.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Postel, W. and Adam, L., Einfluss des Hefekontakts und der Lagerdauer auf die flüchtige Stoffe des Weines. Mitt. Klosterneuburg, 1987, 37, 54–56.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Postel, W. and Adam, L., The influence of the quantity of yeast in wine on the volatiles of grape wine brandies, in Distilled Beverage Flavour, Recent Developments, (ed. Piggott, J.R. and Paterson, A.), Ellis Horwood, Chichester, 1989, pp. 149–150.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Bertrand, A., Role of the continuous distillation process on the quality of Armagnac, in Distilled Beverage Flavour, Recent Developments, (ed. Piggott, J.R. and Paterson, A.), Ellis Horwood, Chichester, 1989, pp. 97–115.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Bertrand, A., Comparison analytique des eau-de-vie d’Armagnac obtenues par destillation continue et double chauffe. Connaisance Vigne Vin, 1988, 22, 89–92.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Sharp, R., Pert, D.M.K. and Canaway, P.R., Some aspects of shelf-life stability in whisky, in The Shelf life of Food and Beverages, (ed. Charalambous, G.), Elsevier, Amsterdam, 1986, pp. 205–224.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Paterson, A. and Piggott, J.R., The contribution of the process to flavour in Scotch malt whisky, in Distilled Beverage Flavour, Recent Developments, (ed. Piggott, J.R. and Paterson, A.), Ellis Horwood, Chichester, 1989, pp. 151–169.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Howie, D. and Swan, J.S., Compounds influencing peatiness in Scotch malt whisky flavour. Biotechn. Industr. Ferment. Res., 1984, 3, 279–290.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Viro, M., N-Hetrocyclic aroma compounds in whisky, Biotechn. Industr. Ferment. Res., 1984, 3, 227–233.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Maga, J.A., Pyridines in food. J. Agric. Food Chem., 1981, 29, 895–898.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Leppänen, A., Ronkainen, P., Denslow, J., Laasko, R., Lindeman, A. and Nykänen, L., Polysulphides and thiophenes in whisky, in Flavour of Distilled Beverages, Origin and Development, (ed. J.R. Piggott), Ellis Horwood, Chichester, 1983, pp. 206–214.

    Google Scholar 

  24. Geddes, P.A. and Riffkin, H.L., Influence of lactic acid bacteria on aldehyde, ester and higher alcohol formation during Scotch whisky fermentations, in Distilled Beverage Flavour, Recent Developments, (eds J.R. Piggott and A. Paterson), Ellis Horwood, Chichester, 1989, pp. 193–199.

    Google Scholar 

  25. Aylott, R.I., Cochrane, J.C., Leonard, M.J., MacDonald, J.S., Mackenzie, W.M., McNeish, A.S. and Walker, D.A., Ethyl carbamate formation in grain spirits. Part I: Post-distillation ethyl carbamate formation in maturing grain whisky. J. Inst. Brew, 1990, 96, 213–221.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Mackenzie, W.M., Clyne, A.H. and Macdonald, L.S., Ethyl carbamate in grain based spirits, Part II. The identification of cyanide related species involved in ethyl carbamate formation in Scotch grain whisky. J. Inst. Brew, 1990, 96, 223–232.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Cook, R., McCaig, N., McMillan, J.M.B. and Lumsden, W.B., Ethyl carbamate in grain based spirits. Part III. The primary source. J. Inst. Brew, 1990, 96, 233–244.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. McGill, D.J. and Morley, S., Ethyl carbamate in grain spirits. Part IV Radiochemical studies. J. Inst. Brew, 1990, 96, 245–246.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Maga, J.A., The contribution of wood to the flavour of alcoholic beverages. Food Rev. Intern., 1989, 5, 39–99.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Suomalainen, H. and Nykänen, L. Investigation on the aroma of alcoholic beverages. Nährungsmiddelindustrien, 1970, 23, 1–15.

    Google Scholar 

  31. Masuda, M. and Nishimura, K., Fagaseae. Branched nonalactones from some Quercus species, Phytochemistry, 1971, 10, 1401–1402.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Günther, C. and Mosandl, A., Stereoisomere Aromastoffe XII. 3-Methyl-4-octanolid-‘Quercuslacton, Whiskylacton’. Stuktur und Eigenschaften der Stereoisomer, Liebigs Ann. Chem., 1986, 2112–2122.

    Google Scholar 

  33. Günther, C. and Mosandl, A., Stereoisomere Aromastoffe XV. Chirospezifische Analyse natürlicher Aromastoffe: 3-Methyl-4-octanolid-‘Quercus, Whiskylacton’. Z. Lebensm. Unters. Forsch., 1987, 185, 1–4.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Kepner, R.E., Webb, D.A. and Muller, C.J., Identification of 4-hydroxy-3-methyloctanoic acid gamma-lactone [5-butyl-4-methyldihydro-2-(3H)-furanone] as a volatile component of oak-wood aged wines of Vitis vinifera var. ‘Cabernet Sauvignon’, Am. J. Enol. Viticult., 1972, 23, 103–105.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Otsuka, K., Zenibayashi, Y., Itoh, M. and Totsuka, A., Presence and significance of two diastereomers of beta-methyl-gamma-octalactone in aged distilled liquors, Agric. Biol. Chem, 1974, 38, 485–490.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Salo, P., Lehtonen, M. and Suomalainen, H., The development of flavour during ageing of alcoholic beverages. Proceedings of the Nordic Symposium on Sensory Properties of Foods, 18–20 March, 1976, pp. 87–108.

    Google Scholar 

  37. Maga, J.A., Formation and extraction of cis- and trans-beta-methyl-gamma-octalactone from Quercus alba, in Distilled Beverage Flavour, Recent Developments, (eds J.R. Piggott and A. Paterson), Ellis Horwood Ltd., Chichester, 1989, pp. 171–176.

    Google Scholar 

  38. Schreier, P., Drawert, F. and Winkler, F., Composition of neutral volatile constituents in grape brandies, J. Agric. Food Chem., 1979, 27, 365–372.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Sharp, R., Analytical techniques in the study of whisky maturation, in Current Developments in Malting, Brewing and Distillery, (eds F.G. Priest and I. Campbell), Institute of Brewing, London, 1983, pp. 143–156.

    Google Scholar 

  40. Maga, J.A., Flavor contribution of wood in alcoholic beverages, in Progress in Flavour Research, (ed. J. Adda), Elsevier, Amsterdam, 1984, pp. 409–416.

    Google Scholar 

  41. Puech, J.L., Extraction and evolution of lignin products in armagnac matured in oak, Am. J. Enol. Viticult., 1981, 32, 111–114.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. Swan, J.S., Maturation of potable spirits, in Handbook of Food and Beverage Stability, (ed. J.G. Charalambous), Academic Press Inc., Orlando, 1986, pp. 801–833.

    Google Scholar 

  43. Litchev, V.A., Bases scientifiques de technologie d’elaboration du Cognac de Bulgarie, Thesis, University of Moscow, 1978, pp. 1978, (French translation).

    Google Scholar 

  44. Maarse, H. and Van den Berg, F., Current issues in flavour research, in Distilled Beverage Flavour, Recent Developments, (ed. J.R. Piggott and A. Paterson), Ellis Horwood, Chichester, 1989, pp. 1–16.

    Google Scholar 

  45. Puech, J.L., Phenolic compounds in oak wood extracts used in the ageing of brandies, J. Sci. Food Agric., 1988, 42, 165–172.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  46. Cantagrel, R., Application of multidimensional analysis to the characterization of cognac in relation to other grape brandies and wine spirits, Nineteenth International Congress de la Vigne et du Vin, Santiago, 1986.

    Google Scholar 

  47. Schee, H.A. van den, Kennedy, W.H.B., Bouwknegt, J.P. and Hittenhausen-Gelderblom, R.C., A case of Cognac adulteration. Z. Lebensm. Unters. Forsch., 1989, 188, 11–15.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  48. Headley, L.M. and Hardy, J.K., Classification of whiskies by principal component analysis, J. Food Sci. 1989, 54, 1351–1358.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  49. Alvarez, P.J. and Cabezudo, M.D., Application of several statistical classification techniques to the differentiation of whisky brands, J. Sci. Food Agric., 1988, 45, 347–358.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  50. Herranz, A., de la Serna, P., Barro, C., Martin, P.J. and Cabezudo, M.D., Application of the statistical multivariate analysis to the differentiation of whiskies of different brands, Food Chem., 1989, 31, 73–81.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors
  1. H. Maarse
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. F. Van Den Berg
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, University of Strathclyde Glasgow, USA

    J. R. Piggott  & A. Paterson  & 

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1994 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Maarse, H., Van Den Berg, F. (1994). Flavour of distilled beverages. In: Piggott, J.R., Paterson, A. (eds) Understanding Natural Flavors. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-2143-3_16

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-2143-3_16

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4613-5895-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4615-2143-3

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation