Spicy notes are important in the flavour profiles of many Whisk(e)y types and brands and they represent a large family of Aroma/Flavour types. Unfortunately, in general, they are not dealt with in a very satisfactory manner in most books and articles regarding whisk(e)y.
As an example of the category, one particular spicy note that we present in our Whisky Aroma Standards Kit is easy to learn - and then to recognise - in spirits. It is described as a “clove-like-spicy” and it is based on a molecular structure from the Phenolic family – Eugenol.
See our Whisky Aroma Kit for more information.