Applications of natural ingredients in alcoholic drinks - Natural Food Additives, Ingredients and Flavourings - page 378

Table 16.10 Colorants and fl avouring used in the production of distilled spirits

Drink Colorants 1 Flavourings Sweeteners Other additives

Brandy Caramel,

sometimes

None, but provides
spirit base for many
cocktails and liqueurs

None None

Sugar 3 Spirit-based

FABs and
cocktails 2

Caramel,
sometimes

Fruit fl avours or
syrups, sometimes
fl ower petals, herbs,
coffee, tea

None

Gin None, usually Juniper, angelica,

coriander and other
spices. The base spirit
for many cocktails
and liqueurs

None, usually None

Liqueurs Saffron,

turmeric,
cochineal. Also
artifi cial
colorants (e.g.
tartrazine)

Fruit, fruit
concentrates, fruit
distillates and
essential oils. Herbs:
leaves, stems, fl owers,
buds, roots, bark,
peels; seeds, beans,
nuts; often as distillate

Sugar syrup or
honey

Dairy products
and emulsifi ers/
stabilisers
Glycerine for
smooth
mouthfeel

Rum and
cachaça

Caramel,
sometimes

Usually unfl avoured,
but these two spirits
form the base of many
cocktails and liqueurs

None None

Sugar syrup 1 ,
honey,
Steviolglycosides.
Also artifi cial
sweeteners

Soju None, usually Usually unfl avoured,

but soju provides
spirit base for many
liqueurs

None

Tequila and
mezcal

None, usually None, but both form

the spirit base for
many cocktails

None Larvae (e.g. of

Hypopta agavis
moth) or
'maguey worm'

￿ ￿ ￿ ￿ ￿

Vodka,
akvavit

None, usually Fruit or herbs, but

usually unfl avoured.
Forms the spirit base
for many cocktails
and liqueurs

None None, usually

Whisk(e)y,
korn

Caramel,
sometimes

None, but forms the
spirit base for many
cocktails and liqueurs

None None

Notes:
1 Colour is often obtained from maturation in toasted or singed oak casks or from herbal or fruit
ingredients.
2 'Ready to drink' cocktails.
3 Often high fructose corn syrup.