What is Rye Spice

[Erik Owens]

from BourbonVeach

https://bourbonveach.com/2019/07/29/what-is-rye-spice

[Silk City Distillers]

Doesn't directly answer that question, but:

 

https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/4825184.pdf

 

My money is on the phenol compounds, while they aren't exclusive to ryes, I feel like their occurrence is fairly regular in rye in comparison to bourbon or other American style whiskies.

[Foreshot]

 

On 6/16/2024 at 6:15 AM, Silk City Distillers said:

My money is on the phenol compounds

For rye, I know folks use POF positive yeast to accentuate the rye graininess/spice, so more circumstantial evidence for that. I have also read that the husk is very wood like in its composition - as in having lignin and significant phenols like tannins. Maybe it's the rye husk that has excess phenols compared to barley/wheat/other grains?

For scotch, the polymerization of phenolic compounds from the smoke lead to greater levels of vanilla like compounds and other polyphenols that are more valued as flavor contributors.

For the study I wish they would have taken samples of the white spirit to see how it changed. I would love to see the same studies done to American whiskeys.  

 

[Silk City Distillers]

I would wholeheartedly agree with your pof+ theory.