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A Technical Guide for Wine Producers
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Evaluation of South African Brandy
Many different descriptive terms can be used to describe the various aroma nuances in brandy. Unfortunately, different people often use different terms to describe the same aroma nuance. Even brandy experts, normally working in small groups within a brandy producing company, tend to develop their own company-specific terminology. This terminology is often difficult for outsiders to understand. Such non-standardised terminology reduces the value of brandy evaluation data, making the interpretation of research and product development results more difficult. Subsequently, the South African brandy industry approached ARC Infruitec-Nietvoorbij to develop standardised aroma terminology for the description of South African brandy. This was done in the form of a Brandy Aroma Wheel (Jolly & Hattingh, 2001).
Collection of terminology and development of the aroma wheel
The development of the Brandy Aroma Wheel started with the compilation of a list of 111 terms (descriptors) used to describe brandy aroma. These descriptors were obtained by a literature survey and during discussions with South African brandy experts (distillers, blenders and other production personnel).
During the second phase of the project, 21 members of the brandy industry helped to select the most commonly used descriptors (both English and Afrikaans). After the necessary translation and standardisation, the relevant descriptors were grouped under first tier descriptors, using the wine aroma (Noble et al., 1984, 1987), sparkling wine aroma (Noble & Howe, 1990) and whisky aroma wheels (Shortreed et al., 1979) as models.
A Preliminary Brandy Aroma Wheel was formulated and evaluated by the brandy industry over a period of three months. Thereafter, the necessary modifications were carried out with the help of a core group of seven brandy experts.
The Brandy Aroma Wheel
The Brandy Aroma Wheel includes brandy terminology currently in use, wine aroma terminology as well as new terminology specially selected during the investigation. As far as the project team could ascertain, no standardised English descriptive terminology for cognac had been published. Furthermore, South African brandy, while based on the same production process as cognac, often has a different aroma profile to cognac. For these reasons, cognac terminology was not considered. A series of four brandy tastings, organised by the South African Brandy Foundation, also served as a platform where new descriptors could be generated and discussed.
The Brandy Aroma Wheel (
Fig 1
) is a two-tier wheel with 18 first tier and 75 second tier descriptors. The first tier descriptors give a broader description of an aroma, while the second tier descriptors give a more precise definition. The descriptors are divided into positive and negative brandy associated aromas. There are ten positive brandy aroma associated first tier descriptors, subdivided into 44 second tier descriptors. The eight negative descriptors are in turn subdivided into 31 second tier descriptors.
The positive descriptors have been arranged in a progression from aromas that occur most commonly in young distillates, ('smooth associated' and 'herbaceous') to more mature aromas ('sweet associated', 'nutty' and 'spicy'). However, as brandies are blended from a number of component brandies of varying ages, they may have any make-up of aromas. The negative descriptors are used to describe faults that may occur during the production process. A Brandy Aroma Wheel with an identical format, but incorporating Afrikaans terminology was also formulated (
Fig 2
).
The brandy aroma descriptors are words most commonly used to describe brandy aroma. Many of these descriptors have specific meanings within a brandy context, which may be subtly different to their use in other industries. The terminology was developed to be applicable for all types of brandy and consequently, only small sections of the listed descriptors are likely to be used at any one stage. The 'smooth associated' descriptor was chosen because certain aroma notes have historically become linked with the taste effects of mouth-feel. The descriptor 'smooth associated' therefore includes aroma notes that can be associated with the smooth mouth-feel and fullness of a brandy. The descriptor 'soapy' has no reference to soaps and detergents, but refers to a combination of C6, C8 and C10 esters. This anomaly originated as a company specific descriptor that later found wider usage in the brandy industry.
The 'herbaceous' aroma notes, i.e. 'minty', 'eucalyptus' and 'buchu' relate to natural herbs and plants that are sometimes added to medicinal brandies and are not natural brandy derived aromas. The 'fruity' aroma notes are arguably the most important in brandy and make it uniquely different and distinguishable from other distilled products such as the different kinds of whiskies and rum. The 'muscat' and 'floral' notes are found especially in brandies produced from aromatic Muscat grape types, e.g. Hanepoot grapes (Muscat d' Alexandrie). 'Woody' and 'toasted' notes are those derived during maturation from oak wood and prior treatment of the barrels, respectively. The 'nutty', 'sweet associated' and 'spices' aroma notes are often associated with especially older brandies of 15 to 20 years.
Use of the wheel
The Brandy Aroma Wheel serves as an aid during brandy evaluation. It can be used in two ways. Firstly, the user may choose a principal term at the centre of the wheel. By working outwards a more precise description of the brandy aroma may be found. Alternately, he/she may find a descriptive term that comes spontaneously to mind when evaluating a brandy. This descriptor may then be "keyed-in" on the second tier. By working back to the centre of the wheel, the principal aroma category may be found. By linking each descriptive term to an intensity scale, an aroma profile of a brandy can be formulated. These profiles then form a picture of the aroma attributes of a brandy and illustrate how brandies differ from each other. It is also important that when the wheel is used analytically, the sensory panel members be trained to be familiar with the terminology and brandy aromas.
Summary
The two-tiered Brandy Aroma Wheel was developed to provide standardised terminology for the evaluation of South African brandy. This terminology includes the most commonly used terms in the industry and the wheel is a representation of the knowledge of experts in the South African industry. At the same time, the terminology is such that the consumer will also understand and be able to use the wheel.
For further information contact the author at Fax 021-809 3002 or e-mail neil@infruit.agric.za.
Acknowledgements
The South African brandy industry for their invaluable input to the development of the Brandy Aroma Wheel.
Winetech for financial support and Hannes Oosthuizen for graphic design.
Literature cited
Jolly, N.P. & Hattingh, S., 2001. A Brandy Aroma Wheel for South African Brandy. S. Afr. J. Enol. Vitic., 22, 16-21
Noble, A.C., Arnold, R.A., Masuda, B.M., Pecore, S.D., Schmidt, J.O. & Stern, P.M., 1984. Progress towards a standardized system of wine aroma terminology. Am. J. Enol. Vitic. 35, 107-109.
Noble, A.C, Arnold, R.A., Buechsenstein, J., Leach, E.J., Schmidt, J.O. & Stern, P.M., 1987. Modification of standardized system of wine aroma terminology. Am. J. Enol. Vitic. 38, 143-146.
Noble, A.C. & Howe, P.A., 1990. Sparkling Wine Aroma Wheel (Unpublished). "Copyright. Noble, A.C. & Howe P.A., P.O. Box 1817, Healdsburg, CA 95448.
Shortreed, G.W., Rickards, P., Swan, J.S. & Burtles, S., 1979. The flavour terminology of Scotch Whisky. Brewer's Guardian, November.
Laminated colour copies of the Brandy Aroma Wheel can be obtained from ARC Infruitec-Nietvoorbij, Private Bag X5013, Stellenbosch, 7599 (Public Relations Division: tel. 021-809 3068/3100).
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