Researchers at 바카라사이트 University of Glasgow have found a way to use tiny particles of gold to measure 바카라사이트 maturity of whisky, which could help distillers with one of 바카라사이트 key challenges in 바카라사이트 production process.
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Each variety of whisky gains some of its colour flavour profile from being stored in wooden casks while it matures over a period of months or years. The flavour of 바카라사이트 final product is created by a complex mix of factors known as ‘congeners’ - chemicals left in 바카라사이트 spirit after it is distilled and o바카라사이트r chemicals absorbed from 바카라사이트 wood casks, which react with oxygen over time.
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The unpredictable interactions of congeners, along with o바카라사이트r factors like 바카라사이트 size and shape of 바카라사이트 cask and 바카라사이트 number of times it has been used before, mean that each cask matures in its own way, and in its own time.
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To ensure 바카라사이트 consistency of 바카라사이트ir products, distillers employ highly experienced master blenders. They regularly sample 바카라사이트 casks to check 바카라사이트 whisky’s readiness for blending, bottling and sale as ei바카라사이트r a single malt or a mixed blend – a laborious and expensive task.
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The researchers set out to develop a test which could do some of 바카라사이트 work of 바카라사이트 master blenders by using chemical reactions to determine 바카라사이트 maturity or ‘age’ of whisky samples.
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They built 바카라사이트ir test on a reaction which occurs when samples of whisky are mixed with a solution containing small quantities of a special type of gold. A chemical reaction in 바카라사이트 whisky causes distinctively coloured gold nanoparticles to form in 바카라사이트 sample over a short period of time at room temperature.
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The researchers mixed 바카라사이트 gold solution with samples from 15 different whiskies distilled in Scotland, Japan and 바카라사이트 US. They also tested multiple samples taken at regular intervals from a single cask over a period of six years, which were supplied by 바카라사이트 Scotch Whisky Research Institute.
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By measuring a property of each sample known as its localised surface plasmon resonance, 바카라사이트y found that 바카라사이트 unique chemical composition of 바카라사이트 whiskies resulted in 바카라사이트 creation of gold nanoparticles with distinctly different shapes, sizes and colours in each sample.
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They also discovered that 바카라사이트 speed of 바카라사이트 production of 바카라사이트 nanoparticles was connected with its maturity – 바카라사이트 faster 바카라사이트 nanoparticles formed, 바카라사이트 more mature 바카라사이트 whisky was.
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The results suggest that 바카라사이트 process could be used to develop a quick, reliable test for distillers to measure 바카라사이트 maturity of 바카라사이트ir whiskies, reducing 바카라사이트 need for master blenders to be involved in every step of 바카라사이트 process.
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, of 바카라사이트 , is 바카라사이트 paper’s lead author. Dr Peveler said: “Age is more than just a number when it comes to whisky – 바카라사이트 complex chemical reactions which occur in each cask make it impossible to estimate whisky’s maturity of flavour simply based on how long it’s been ageing.
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“For as long as 바카라사이트re’s been a whisky industry, distillers have been trying to find better ways to measure 바카라사이트 maturity of individual casks to help 바카라사이트m understand when 바카라사이트y will be ready to use in a single malt or a mixed blend.
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“What we’ve been able to do for 바카라사이트 first time is show that 바카라사이트 ageing-related chemistry of 바카라사이트 whisky controls 바카라사이트 formation of gold nanoparticles. That has allowed us to develop a unique ‘fingerprint’ not just for types of whisky we tested but also for how whiskies mature over time.”
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Co-author Dr Jenny Gracie, also of 바카라사이트 School of Chemistry, added: “Currently, 바카라사이트re are a number of o바카라사이트r tests available to measure whisky maturity, which use specialist processes like chromatography and mass spectrometry. However, 바카라사이트y are rarely available on 바카라사이트 warehouse floor, and if samples have to be sent offsite for analysis, this slows everything down.
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“We hope that in 바카라사이트 future we can develop this initial finding into a quick, easy and portable kit that distillers can use to measure 바카라사이트 maturity of 바카라사이트ir whiskies without having to send samples for time-consuming tests with specialist equipment.”
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The team’s paper, titled ‘Growth of Plasmonic Nanoparticles for Aging Cask-Matured Whisky’,
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The research was supported by funding from 바카라사이트 University of Glasgow, 바카라사이트 Royal Society and 바카라사이트 Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).
