Sensory contribution from extracts of botanicals to distilled alcoholic beverages

Extracts from botanicals were examined by sensory evaluation for their ability to improve the flavour of 15% aqueous ethanol as an alcoholic beverage. More than 75% of the 35% aqueous, ethanol extractable constituents were extracted from the powdered botanicals on refluxing in Soxhlet for 2 h. The extracts from cloves, cinnamon, "ingurupiyali", ginger, cardomum, nutmeg and mace improved the flavour of 15% aqueous ethanol at concentrations of 8.2, 1.9, 3.3, 6.7, 2.5, 22.5, and 26.3 ppm respectively. The extracts of cummin seeds, coffee beans and pepper did not contribute positively to flavour of 15% aqueous ethanol at their most acceptable concentrations. The extracts of coriander, dill seed, fonugreek, mustard and "valmee" did not contribute a regular flavour pattern when assessed s t a series of concentration and hence were eliminated. Cinnamon, cloves and cardomum provided the most preferred flavour contributions individually as well as in combinations of two at a time, at several concentrations.