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S. MAZA GOMEZ¹, W. Kampen², and W. Prinyawiwatkul¹. (1) Department of Food Science, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, (2) Audubon Sugar Institute, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station, Baton Rouge, LA 70803

Louisiana annually produces ca. 350,000 tons of blackstrap molasses as a byproduct of cane-sugar production, mainly used for animal feeds. Rums can be made from various substrates; however, molasses is the most economical substrate. Flavor/aroma and chemical feeling characteristics of rums vary depending on substrates and process conditions.

Our aim was to develop a lexicon with descriptions to describe flavor/aroma/chemical-feeling characteristics of various rum products.

15 commercial and our experimental rum samples (80-86-proof) were evaluated. Our rum was made from cane molasses, distilled in a continuous still, and aged under accelerated process in American oak chips for 2.5 months at 30 °C. A panel consisted of 5 semi-experts highly familiar with rum products. 9 sessions (16-hours) were required for task orientation and development of terms, definitions and references. A panel was presented with 5-6 coded samples, individually evaluated samples following the procedure for wine testings, and recorded the terms and definitions. The aftertaste was recorded 1-minute after swallowing. At the end of each session, discussion was done to agree on the terms and definitions. To validate the lexicon developed, coded samples were served monadically to a panel for evaluation. This took place in 3 1.5-hour sessions.

Aromatic terms include: artificial, almond, butterscotch, caramel, chemical (plastic/rubber-like/painty), chemical/medicinal, cinnamon, fruity (banana), fruity (apple/pear-like), floral, fusel oil, leathery, pure ethanol, hickory-smoke, sweet, vanilla, and woody. Sweetness was identified for taste sensation. Chemical feeling factors include: smooth, sweet- & bitter-aftertaste, astringent, bite, and spicy. Vanilla aroma was perceived in rums made from molasses, aged in American oak barrels, not from sugar-cane juice aged in Limousin oak barrels. Our rum product exhibited strong artificial, chemical (styrene/painty) and fusel oil aromatics.

This study provides definitive, common terms for describing flavor/aroma/chemical feeling characteristics of rum products, which can be further used for intensity quantification through descriptive analysis techniques.