Scientists at the University of Glasgow have discovered a new way to use gold to measure whisky’s maturity. The researchers stated that every whisky variety gained some of its distinctive color as well as flavor profile as a result of its storage in wood casks as it matured over a certain period. They explained that the product’s final flavor was created when a mix of chemicals (congeners) retained within the spirit after distillation as well as the other chemicals it absorbed from the wooden casks reacted with oxygen over time.
The interactions of congeners are unpredictable. This, combined with other factors such as the shape and size of the wooden cask as well as the number of times it’s been used before, mean that the whisky stored in each cask will mature at its own pace and in its own way.
Therefore, to ensure product consistency, distillers use master blenders with extensive experience. Blenders sample the casks regularly to check the readiness of the alcoholic drink for blending, bottling and sale as a mixed blend or a single malt. While this method is effective, it’s an expensive and laborious task.
To help with this challenge, the scientists came up with a test that could rely on chemical reactions in order to ascertain a whisky’s maturity. The test was based on a reaction that occurs when whisky samples are mixed in a solution that contains small amounts of a specific kind of gold. At room temperature, the researchers observed that the chemical reaction in the drink sample causes uniquely colored gold nanoparticles to form over a brief time period.
To study the effectiveness of their test, the researchers mixed this gold solution with several samples from more than 10 different whiskies that were distilled in Japan, the United States and Scotland. The team also whisky tested samples that were taken at predetermined intervals from one cask over a six-year period.
In their report, the researchers stated that the unique chemical composition displayed by every whisky facilitated the formation of gold nanoparticles having distinctly different colors, sizes and shapes in every sample. They also found that the speed of nanoparticle production was linked to the drink’s maturity, noting that the more mature the whisky was, the faster the formation of gold nanoparticles.
The researchers’ findings suggest that a more reliable test could be developed to help distillers measure whisky maturity in a less lengthy and more accurate way. They believe that their discovery could also reduce the necessity of employing master blenders in the production process.
The researchers published their findings in the “Applied Nano Materials” journal.
The industrial and commercial applications of various metals keep increasing, and this recent discovery of an additional way to use gold suggests that companies in the gold mining business, such as Eloro Resources Ltd. (TSX.V: ELO) (OTCQX: ELRRF), are likely to remain relevant for decades to come.
NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to Eloro Resources Ltd. (TSX.V: ELO) (OTCQX: ELRRF) are available in the company’s newsroom at http://ibn.fm/ELRRF
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