Abstract

Accelerated aging techniques are an ongoing frontier in the production of whisky because they do not require traditional barrel aging methods to mature. Whisky samples from the Jack Daniels family as well as whisky from Elkins Distilling Co. that used accelerated aging techniques were tested by direct injection Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry. Chromatograms of samples were analyzed against NIST mass spectra to develop and compare sensory profiles of whisky. Results obtained from known commercial brands were used to build a baseline of sensory profiles, providing a framework for whiskies produced by the company using accelerated aging techniques and used to show comparable compounds between the barrel-aged whiskies and whiskies aged by accelerated aging techniques. This study provides qualitative data on sensory compounds present in whisky that underwent accelerated aging techniques, including treatment by ultrasonic waves, injection of atmospheric oxygen, and maceration on pieces of used whisky barrels from well-known brands that were also analyzed in this study. The data showed that injection of atmospheric oxygen had no result on the compounds detected, that ultrasonic waves have some effectiveness on the compounds present, and that maceration of wood chips showed the greatest effect on the compounds present.

Key words: Whisky, whiskey, barrel aged, accelerated aging, distilling.