It is produced by the distillation of fermented sugar cane juice, reaching 38–48% ethanol by volume at 20 °C and presenting

peculiar sensory features GPCR Compound Library concentration ( Brasil, 2005a). Sugar cane spirit production involves the extraction of sugar cane juice, fermentation and distillation. After these processes, aging is of fundamental importance and it is generally carried out in appropriate wooden casks, where cachaça is kept for a certain period of time aiming to refine its sensory profile and improve its chemical quality. Unfortunately aging is not a mandatory step for cachaça. The Brazilian law establishes that aged cachaça should contain at least 50% of the spirit matured in appropriate wooden casks (maximum capacity of 700 L) for a period of not less than 1 year. Premium

and extra premium find more cachaças are spirits that were whole aged for 1 year and 3 years, respectively ( Brasil, 2005a). The maturation of distilled beverages in wooden casks is an important step of the production process. A fresh spirit presents aggressive sensory features and strong alcoholic flavour. These negative characteristics can be attenuated by aging. Numerous physicochemical interactions occur between the wood and the spirit during aging. Several phenomena of migration of volatile and non-volatile compounds of wood to spirit take place. Along maturation, the evolution of phenolic compounds, beverage oxidation, stabilisation of colour and flavour, and development of notes of wood contribute to the richness and complexity of distilled beverages aroma (Ramirez-Ramirez, 2002). The effects of maturation are mainly influenced by the type of cask wood (Mosedale & Puech,

1998). The mechanism of spirit maturation is based on the exchange of compounds present in wood and beverage, which can be classified in seven categories: direct extraction of wood compounds; decomposition of macromolecules; reaction between wood compounds and the compounds present in the freshly distilled spirit; interactions specifically involving the wood extract; reactions involving only the compounds present in the distilled beverage; evaporation of volatile compounds through the cask surface; and formation of stable molecules (Piggott & Conner, 2003). Oak 4-Aminobutyrate aminotransferase is the principal wood used for spirits aging worldwide because it actively participates in the beverage flavour due to the extraction of aromatic molecules from the wood (Ramirez-Ramirez, 2002). However, in Brazil, oak is not a native wood and it is necessary to import it from Europe or North America. Native Brazilian woods can be a viable option for sugar cane spirit producers, since they are easily found and peculiar compounds from each different type of wood may be transferred to the beverage allowing the characterisation of the spirit.