Chemical and sensorial aroma characterization of freshly distilled Calvados. 2. Identification of volatile compounds and key odorants.

Eight samples of freshly distilled Calvados were extracted using pentane. Gas chromatography with either a mass spectrometer or flame ionization detector was used to determine the volatile compounds composition of the extracts. More than 120 molecules were identified in Calvados and then correlated with results obtained by olfactometric analysis in our earlier work [Guichard, H.

Chemical and sensorial aroma characterization of freshly distilled Calvados. 1. Evaluation of quality and defects on the basis of key odorants by olfactometry and sensory analysis.

Eight freshly distilled samples of Calvados, a fermented and distilled apple juice, were analyzed by sensory evaluation and direct injection GC to determine the composition of higher alcohols, esters, and aldehydes. The composition determined by direct injection was tentatively related to sensory descriptors. Esters have a probable maximum level around 500 g/hl of pure alcohol (PA).