Measurement of thresholds for reference compounds for sensory profiling ofScotch whisky

Sensory profiling of Scotch whiskies, important for research and product an alysis, requires training of assessors including the identification of impo rtant whisky aroma characters, Seventeen compounds were selected as potenti al reference standards for common whisky sensory characteristics, Nineteen assessors determined detection and recognition thresholds for each referenc e standard dissolved in 3 year old grain whisky at 23 % (v/v) ethanol using both ascending dilution series and Latin square presentations. With the fo rmer order effects and errors of habituation and anticipation were apparent . However, the Latin square presentation was satisfactory for threshold mea surements in whisky, yielding good correlations and reproducibility, and en abling outliers to be reassessed independently. Slopes obtained from plotti ng probit against concentration for detection and recognition data, psychom etric functions of aroma perception, varied between reference compounds and 90% recognition concentrations were obtained for each aroma standard. Sixt een of the compounds assessed were suitable for use as reference flavour st andards for training of whisky assessors.