# Identification of Rotundone as an Important Contributor to the Flavor of Oak-Aged Spirits
## 2 Results and Discussion
### Relative Potency of Rotundone in Bourbon Whiskey
\begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c c c c c} \hline \hline \multirow{2}{*}{**Compound**} & \multirow{2}{*}{**Odor Description**} & \multirow{2}{*}{**RI 1 **} & \multicolumn{4}{c}{**Log3 FD 2 **} \\ \cline{3-10}  & & & \multicolumn{2}{c}{**JB 4**} & \multicolumn{2}{c}{**JB 8**} & \multicolumn{2}{c}{**JB 12**} \\ \cline{3-10}  & & **Wax** & **Rtx5** & **Wax** & **Rtx5** & **Wax** & **Rtx5** & **Wax** & **Rtx5** \\ \hline vanillin & _vanilla_ & 2529 & 1413 & 6 & 5 & 7 & 5 & 8 & 5 \\ (\(Z\))-whiskey lactone & _herbaceous, coconut_ & 1949 & 1329 & 5 & 5 & 8 & 6 & 8 & 6 \\ syringol & _smokey_ & 2241 & 1355 & 7 & 4 & 8 & 5 & 7 & 5 \\
2/3-methyl-1-butanol & _chocolate, malty_ & 1212 & 836 & 8 & 5 & 7 & 5 & 7 & 5 \\
2-phenethyl alcohol & _rosey, wine-like_ & 1900 & 1120 & 6 & 4 & 6 & 5 & 7 & 4 \\ guaicol & _smokey_ & 1854 & 1087 & 7 & 4 & 7 & 5 & 7 & 4 \\ (\(E\))-isoeugenol & _spicy, cloves_ & 2335 & 1459 & 6 & 3 & 6 & 3 & 6 & 4 \\ eugenol & _spicy, cloves_ & 2154 & 1361 & 5 & 4 & 5 & 4 & 6 & 3 \\ (\(E\))-\(\beta\)-damascenone & _floral, cooked apple_ & 1823 & 1391 & 4 & 4 & 5 & 4 & 4 & 4 \\ ethyl hexanoate & _fruity, berry_ & 1245 & 1001 & 4 & 3 & 4 & 3 & 4 & 5 \\ acetal & _fruity_ & 927 & 728 & 4 & 4 & 4 & 4 & 4 & 4 \\ ethyl 2-methylbutanoate & _fruity, berry_ & 1070 & 857 & 3 & 3 & 4 & 3 & 4 & 4 \\ ethyl butanoate & _fruity, bubble gum_ & 1046 & 808 & 3 & 2 & 3 & 3 & 4 & 4 \\ (\(Z\))-2-nonenal 3  & _hay, stale_ & 1505 & 1149 & 2 & 2 & 3 & 2 & 4 & 3 \\ syringaldehyde & _smokey, vanilla_ & 2884 & 1671 & 4 & 3 & 4 & 3 & 3 & 3 & 3 \\ ethyl vanillate & _spicy_ & 2642 & 1580 & 3 & 1 & 3 & 2 & 3 & 1 \\ rotundone & _spicy, woody, incense_ & 2262 & 1720 & 2 & 2 & 4 & 4 & 3 & 3 \\
4-ethylphenol & _barnyard, bandaid_ & 2167 & 1180 & 1 & 1 & 1 & 3 & 3 & 1 \\ \(\gamma\)-nonalactone & _fruity, peach_ & 2020 & 1370 & 3 & 2 & 3 & 3 & 3 & 2 \\
2-phenethyl acetate & _floral, rosy_ & 1812 & 1258 & 3 & 1 & 3 & 1 & 3 & 1 \\ ethyl octanoate & _fruity_ & 1428 & 1193 & 3 & 1 & 3 & 1 & 3 & 2 \\
2-methyl-1-propanol & _chocolate, malty_ & 1099 & 634 & 1 & ND & 1 & ND & 3 & ND 2 \\
2/3-methylbutanoic acid 4  & _sweatly_ & 1662 & & 3 & ND & 3 & ND & 3 & ND 2 \\
3-methylbutyl acetate & _fruity, banana_ & 1147 & 875 & \textless{1 }  & 1 & \textless{1 } & 1 & 2 & 2 \\ unknown & _fruity_ & 1198 & & 1 & \textless{1 } & 1 & ND & 2 & ND \\
2-acetyl-1-pyrroline 5  & _ravast, cereal_ & 1314 & 1052 & 2 & 1 & 1 & 1 & 2 & 2 \\ acetic acid & _punenet, vinegar_ & 1444 & 832 & 1 & ND & \textless{1} & ND & 2 & 1 \\ (\(E\))-2-nonenal 6  & _hay, stale_ & 1537 & 1164 & 1 & \textless{1} & 2 & 1 & 2 & 1 \\ butyric acid & _cheesy_ & 1619 & 853 & 2 & 1 & 2 & \textless{1} & 2 & 2 \\ (\(E\),\(E\))-2,4-nonadienal & _fatty, fried_ & 1700 & 1157 & 2 & \textless{1} & 1 & 1 & 2 & 2 \\ unknown & _cereal/burnt_ & 1801 & 1050 & 2 & 1 & 4 & \textless{1} & 4 & 2 \\ (\(E\))-whiskey lactone & _coconut_ & 1882 & 1291 & 2 & 1 & 2 & 1 & 2 & 2 \\ 4-vinylguaicol 7  & _smokey, spicy_ & 2174 & 1320 & 2 & ND & 1 & 1 & 2 & 2 \\ unknown & _soary_ & 2456 & 1555 & 1 & ND & 1 & \textless{1} & 2 & \textless{1} \\ \(p\)-cresol & _barnyard, bandaid_ & 2074 & 1109 & 1 & 1 & \textless{1} & 3 & 1 & 3 \\ (\(Z\))-6-dodeceno-\(\gamma\)-lactone 8  & _cranmy, diary_ & 2384 & 1666 & 1 & \textless{1} & \textless{1} & ND & 1 & 1 \\
1-octen-3-one 9  & _metallic, mushroom_ & 1306 & 982 & 1 & ND & \textless{1} & 1 & \textless{1} & 2 \\ \(\gamma\)-declactone  & _fruity, peach_ & 2139 & 1465 & ND & ND & ND & \textless{1} & \textless{1} \\ \(\beta\)-ionone  & _floral, violet_ & 1427 & ND & ND & ND & \textless{1} & ND & \textless{1} \\
4-ethyl guaicol  & _smokey, spicy_ & 1994 & 1283 & \textless{1} & ND & \textless{1} & ND & \textless{1} & 2 \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 3: Potent odorants determined by aroma extract dilution analysis of bourbon whiskeys aged for 4, 8, and 12 years. The most potent odorants were consistent across all samples based on the results of AEDA on two different GC columns, regardless of aging time.