The Effect of Wood Chips with Various Degrees of Toasting on the Quality and Sensory Parameters of Fruit Distillates

The quality of fruit distillates is primarily influenced by how they are aged in wood. Not only the species of wood used but also the degree of its toasting is significant. The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of aging apple distillate using wood chips made from various tree species (oak, cherry, chestnut, juniper) with different degrees of toasting on its quality. The distillates were analyzed for total polyphenol content and antioxidant activity (spectrophotometric methods), acidity and ester content (titrimetric methods), color parameters (CIELab), and volatile compound profile (GC-MS). A sensory analysis of the distillates was also performed. The use of chestnut wood yielded the best results compared to other wood species, and the medium toasting level was the most suitable. Distillates made with oak and cherry wood produced similar, albeit slightly inferior, results, particularly with regard to the concentration of active compounds. However, high-temperature toasting of cherry wood chips did not positively affect the chemical composition of the distillates. Distillates made with juniper wood chips exhibited atypical physicochemical and sensory characteristics compared to those made from other wood species. In many cases, the distillates were similar to the control samples.