Tequila is an alcoholic beverage produced from Agave tequilana that has for hundred of years had significant cultural value in many regions of Mexico. It has recently transitioned from a regional to global drink, and its production has become vastly scaled up by large global producers to meet consumer demand.  There is increasing interest in its flavor profiles, and growing concern that modern processing of the agave has reduced the complexity of Tequila.  To evaluate these and related issues, we analyzed the volatile constituents of various types,  brands, and ages of tequila.  Gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GCMS), when combined with solid-phase microextraction (SPME), revealed hundreds of flavor compounds.  Using principal component analysis it is possible to  classify the volatile components, and define a 'flavor diversity index'. Additionally, we examined specific esters and their processing by-products to characterize the similarity of fermentation, distillation and aging processes.  We explore whether and how modernization of tequila production can change tequila's characteristic flavors as well as decrease their complexity.

How modernization of Tequila production has changed its flavor and complexity

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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