Blog/News

The particular buttery aroma found in whiskies is due to the presence of a chemical called diacetyl. The pure chemical is irritating and pungent, but when diluted to the correct level it manifests the alluring aroma of warm melted butter. If you hunt for this note in a Whisky which is known to have a buttery note you will detect it in a single sniff - but you may miss it on a second sniff. Diacetyl strongly manifests a particular aroma phenomenon and so we take this opportunity to remind you of this general property – the often huge change...

Orris is an excellent example of the diversity and unexpected origin of many aromatic and perfume ingredients – after all who would expect a root (rhizome) to have such a gloriously rich and sensuous Violet scent as we are used to the flowers playing the aromatic role in the plant world. However, over some thousands of years of non-recorded history, the herbalists, the alchemists and the perfumers explored every plant they obtained in a feverish search for some big new thing in scent. The aromaticity of the Orris is understandable in terms of biochemistry, but the discovery of this scent...

The Fermentation process yields ethanol and other alcohols and pot still distillation, in particular, reveals this note. Column still distillation separates the notes extremely efficiently and so the column still process typically produces a lighter, less characterful, liquid. Fusel Oil is associated with the “tail” of the distillation and some Rum blenders add back these fusel notes to the lighter mix in the first stage in the column to give more character and body. However this does not always integrate smoothly and therefore becomes a prominent note as compared to the pot still distillation of rums where the fusel note...

This is a seminal aroma note for Bourbon as the primary grain used in this type of drink is indeed corn. The particular aroma mixture we have devised in our Bourbon Aroma Kit - to represent the type of corn aroma that is relevant for a Bourbon - is exceedingly complex and we have had to add many trace secondary aroma molecules to achieve the optimal corn aroma. Besides hints of corn type aromas you might be reminded of a malty influence or aspects of warm bread crust or a rye-type bread. A really discerning nose might just be able...

When considering our aroma and flavour categories, It is easy to appreciate that blackcurrant belongs to the sub-division of berry in the general category of fruity. In fact, when you are nosing an unknown red wine, the likely sequence of your mental pictures as you sniff and reflect are likely to be – first, fruity and then - on more sniffing – berry and then on sniffing again you may very well identify the unique blackcurrant aroma note. It is unmistakable when you know it. This aroma note plays such a prominent role in the aroma profile of red wines...