Characterization of different aroma‐types of chinese liquors based on their aroma profile by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry and sensory evaluation

Abstract The aroma profile of different aroma‐types of Chinese liquors was measured using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC‐MS) and sensory evaluation. Sensory analysis coupled with principal component analysis (PCA) showed that strong‐aroma liquors were mainly characterized by cellar aroma; light‐aroma liquors were mainly characterized by fen, floral, grain, sweet and vinegar aromas while sauce‐aroma liquors were mainly characterized by sauce, fruity and caramel aromas. Partial least squares regression (PLSR) results indicated that ethyl hexanoate, hexanoic acid, hexyl hexanoate, 4‐methyl pheno, ethyl pentanoate, isoamyl hexanoate and pentanoic acid were significantly and positively associated with cellar aroma and strong‐aroma liquors. Vinegar and fen aroma were strongly linked with light‐aroma liquor and associated with of ethyl acetate, 2‐methylpropyl acetate, isoamyl acetate, isoamyl lactate, ethyl decanoate, diethyl butanedioate, 2‐phenethyl acetate, 3,4‐dihydro‐2H‐1‐benzopyran‐2‐one 1‐dodecanol, ethyl decanoate, 3‐methyl‐1‐butanol and thymol. While sauce‐aroma liquors were positively correlated with caramel, fruity and sauce sensory descriptors and volatile compounds such as ethyl 2‐methylpropanoate, ethyl 3‐methylbutanoate, furfural, 1,3‐dimethyl trisulfide, trimethyl pyrazine, ethyl benzeneacetate, benzaldehyde and 1‐octanol. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.