Applications of natural ingredients in alcoholic drinks - Natural Food Additives, Ingredients and Flavourings - page 383

botanicals in grain neutral spirit (GNS)/water. This distillate contains a large
number of fl avour terpenoids (Vicchi et al. 2008), but high concentrations of
certain monoterpenoids ( α -pinene, β -myrcene and others), produced by high
distillation temperatures (≥80°C), can give overtly pungent fl avours (Greer et al.
2008). Low temperature (0°C) vacuum distillation produces a distillate with a
very similar fl avour profi le to the original botanicals, with much lower levels of
monoterpenoids (Greer et al. 2008).
Other herb-fl avoured spirits include (usually) cereal spirit-based Akvavit
(Akevitt or Aquavit), a popular drink in northern Europe and fl avoured with a
herbal mixture, with caraway predominant. Likewise, popular drinks of
Mediterranean Europe and Asia such as arak (usually wine or pomace spirit-
based), ouzo (usually neutral spirit-based) and similar spirits are fl avoured with
aniseed ( Pimpenella anisum ) and/or star anise ( Illicium verum ).
Herbal liqueurs constitute a diverse and important category of liqueurs, whose
fl avourings are herbs, spices and bittering agents (Fig. 16.10). Although the
identities of certain herbal components of many herbal liqueurs are known, the
formulations are closely guarded secrets. A few examples of herbal liqueurs and
their major components are given in Table 16.14. Herbal fl avourings are usually
added as fi ltered ethanol/water extracts, distillates or essential oils, often a
combination of these being used (Zach 2007, Buglass et al. 2011b). Use of the

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Fig. 16.10 Some typical ingredients of herbal liqueurs.