Roasted malts for novel flavours in whisky production

Roasted malts are extensively used in the brewing industry to enhance beer taste, mouthfeel and colour. The majority of Scotch malt whisky is made using un-roasted, lightly kilned malted barley that yields only delicate aromas to the finished product, and the characteristics differentiating whisky of one distillery from another is primarily introduced by varied fermentation, distillation and maturation practices. With demand increasing for greater product variety, there is increasing interest in the use of speciality malts as a tool for aroma control. Our research group is investigating malt roasting as a new way of introducing flavour volatiles to the spirit through Maillard and caramelisation reactions, and also the implications of such malts on yeast health, alcohol production efficiency and distillate quality.