Effect of ethanol on flavor perception of Rum

Abstract

This is the first sensory study to evaluate the effects of ethanol concentration on flavor perception of distilled spirits. Dilution series of two rums (R1 and R2) were evaluated to gain insight into the effects of ethanol concentration on the flavor perception of distilled spirits. Rums were diluted 1:2 (v/v) either with pure water to a final alcohol by volume (ABV) of 20% (R1‐W and R2‐W) or with an aqueous 40% ABV solution (R1‐E and R2‐E). The later dilution accounted for the flavor dilution effect while keeping the ethanol concentration the same as the original liquors. Descriptive sensory analysis was conducted on both dilution series and the original rums. Twenty‐three attributes were evaluated consisting of eight aroma, four aroma‐by‐mouth, four mouthfeel, two taste, and five aftertaste terms. Results revealed 18 significant attributes for the R1 series. With the exception of silky mouthfeel, all attributes were rated highest in R1 and lowest in R1‐E. The R2 series contained sixteen significant attributes, all of which were rated higher in R2 compared with R2‐E. The flavor profiles of the original rums and those diluted with water were very similar, with the diluted rums generally having slightly lower attribute intensities. In contrast, the rums diluted with 40% ABV had significantly different flavor profiles than the original rums. Results indicate that diluting spirits with water may reduce the odor suppression effects of ethanol or enhance flavor release which appears to counteract the flavor dilution effect.

Bourbon and Rye Whiskeys Are Legally Distinct but Are Not Discriminated by Sensory Descriptive Analysis

“…All samples were diluted 1:1 (v/v) with distilled water (Jack, ) in order to increase the potential release of volatiles from the ethanolic matrix (Ickes & Cadwallader, , ). This procedure had the additional effect of making the samples less fatiguing and more accessible to panelists, while preserving the producers’ decisions about relative bottling strength (ABV; see Table ).…”

Influence of ethanol concentration on sensory perception of rums using temporal check‐all‐that‐apply

“…Sensory profiling of rums was approved by the NCSU Institutional Review Board for Human Subjects (IRB 7743). The sensory lexicon for aged rums used in the study was determined following review of published rum lexicons in four hour‐long roundtable sessions (Ickes & Cadwallader, ; Ickes & Cadwallader, ). During the roundtable sessions, commercial rums were diluted to 20% ABV using deionized water (Donnell, Hulin‐Bertaud, Sheehan, & Delahunty, ; Piggott, Carey, & Canaway, ), prepared for sensory evaluation in tulip‐shaped glasses (235 ml), covered with watch glasses, and were then tasted.…”

“… Note : Adapted from Ickes and Cadwallader (), Ickes and Cadwallader (), and Leksrisompong, Lopetcharat, Guthrie, and Drake (). Developed using ASTM guidelines (ASTM, ).…”

“…Practically, this suggests that increased ethanol concentration may alter volatile releases, peak intensities and duration of perception for select product features. Ickes and Cadwallader () recently reported the sensory effects of ethanol concentration in rum using descriptive analysis (DA). Results from their work revealed that similar sensory profiles were exhibited between samples diluted to 20% ABV and commercial 40% samples, with most differences existing in terms of attribute intensity (which in general were lower for diluted rums).…”

“…Results from their work revealed that similar sensory profiles were exhibited between samples diluted to 20% ABV and commercial 40% samples, with most differences existing in terms of attribute intensity (which in general were lower for diluted rums). The study by Ickes and Cadwallader () serves as a valuable resource in terms of distilled spirit sensory evaluation, but the temporal effects related to ethanol concentration in rum remain unknown. This study seeks to identify the effects of ethanol concentration on the temporal profile of aged rum.…”