SUGAR COMPONENTS IN MALT WHISKEY .1. ANALYSIS BY GAS-CHROMATOGRAPHY

The taste of malt whisky is affected by the compounds extracted from the wood cask. Monosaccharides in malt whisky during maturation were analyzed quantitatively by gas chromatography, and the data obtained were compared with those on commercial Scotch, Irish, and Bourbon whiskies reported by Nykanen. proto-Quercitol and arabinose increase with the maturation period. The contents of glucose and mannose in malt whiskies do not change between five- and ten-year-old whiskies, but those in commercial Scotch whisky are very large due to the addition of caramel for color adjustment or to maturation in sherry-casks. Bourbon whisky contains larger amounts of monosaccharides than those in malt whisky, especially the contents of xylose and galactose are extremely large. These compounds come from the wood of new casks well-charred. Therefore, the analysis of monosaccharides in whisky makes it possible to obtain useful information about the extent of maturation and as to whether caramel is added into commercial whisky and sherry- or charred-cask is used for maturation. Consequently, the present analysis may be a useful method for the evaluation of commercial whisky.