Abstract: | The use of considerable amounts of ground oak to accelerate maturation of strong drinks was accompanied by the appearance of an undesirable taste due to the presence of unsaturated aldehydes (2-nonenal and 2,4-nonadienal). The greater the degree of wood grinding, the higher was the content of C18-unsaturated acids and C9-aldehydes. Wood heating was accompanied by a decrease in the content of C18-acids, but had no effect on the amount of aldehydes. An undesirable taste decreased during the maintenance of alcoholic tinctures in 70% ethyl alcohol for 6 months. It was related to the formation of acetals and ethoxy and hydroxy derivatives of unsaturated aldehydes. |