Determination of phenolic compounds and coumarins in sugar cane spirit aged in different species of wood

The identities and quantities of the phenolic compounds and coumarins in twelve samples of sugar cane spirit aged in Quercus sp., Amburana cearensis, Cariniana legalis, Castanea sativa Mill, Ocotea sp., Cotyledon orbiculata L., and Hymenaea sp. casks were determined. These compounds have a direct influence on the sensory characteristics of aged beverages; some of them are considered to be markers for the aging process. The analysis of phenolic compounds was performed by HPLC. Solid phase extraction (SPE) was also used for the determination of coumarins. The concentrations of the principal compounds extracted varied according to the species of wood. The concentrations of total phenolic compounds ranged from 0.08 for a sample stored in a 4000-L jatobá barrel for a period of six months to 40.9 mg · L−1 for a sample aged in a 50000-L oak barrel for a period of 48 months. The use of the SPE technique removed interfering compounds from the samples, thereby improving the detection of coumarin.