Sensory Attributes of oney Developed for the National oney Board by rtech laboratories from Land O Lakes, St. Paul, Minnesota Method Thirteen trained panelists evaluated samples with three replications during two testing sessions. Panelists received ten grams of each sample in a one-ounce covered plastic soufflés cup. Samples were held and served at room temperature under white lights. Panelists cleansed their palates with low sodium saltine crackers and carbon-filtered water between tastings. Appearance, aroma, flavor, nose/mouthfeel, and aftertaste/afterfeel were assessed. Panelists were not informed of the objective of the test or that they would be testing different floral varieties of honey. The descriptive terms used by the panel only represent a perception that is common to them and should not be interpreted as general positive or negative attributes. Table 1. Summary of Main Descriptive Characteristics Floral Variety Avocado oney oney oney oney oney oney oney Orange Blossom oney oney Sage oney Saw oney Characteristics Molasses/Brown Sugar Flavor and /Iron Flavor Low Aroma, Transparent Appearance, Thick Viscous Appearance, igh Flavor, igh Flavor. Low viscosity, Aroma, (unripened fruit) Aroma and Lemon Aroma and Flavor Dark Color, and Aroma, Barny,, (unripened fruit) and Flavor, Pungent Aromatic (nose-burn), Molasses/Brown Sugar Aftertaste and Lingering Flavor Aroma, Aroma, Aroma, Low Aroma, Light Appearance, igh Transparent Appearance, Low Thick Viscous Appearance, igh Flavor, Flavor, Flavor Aroma, Aroma, Flavor, Flavor, Lingering Flavor, Aftertaste igh Aroma, Dark Appearance, Thick Viscous Appearance, igh Flavor, igh Flavor, Low Flavor, Tea Flavor, Mouthfeel, Flowery Perfume Aftertaste,,, and Beeswax Aroma,,,, and Beeswax Flavor, and Aftertaste Aroma, Aroma, Moderately Dark Appearance, Moderate on all Flavor and Aftertaste Characteristics (no extreme highs or lows), Pungent Aromatic Nose Feel and ot Bite Mouthfeel and Aftertaste. Thick/Viscous with Flavor Aroma, Aroma, Dark Appearance, Spicy Cinnamon Flavor, Flavor, Flavor and Aftertaste.
oney oney oney oney Tupelo oney (black licorice) Aroma and Flavor, (mouth-drying) relatively low on Flavor igh Aroma, Aroma, Aroma, Dark Appearance, Low Thick Viscous Appearance, Low Flavor, igh Flavor, Flavor, Molasses Prune Flavor, Pungent Aromatic Nose Feel, Aftertaste, Lingering Flavor. igh Aroma with low other aroma (sweet, spicy cinnamon, molasses prune, sharp), Light, Transparent, and Thick Viscous Appearance, igh Flavor, Low Flavor, Low Spicy Cinnamon Flavor, Low Flavor, Low Flavor and Aftertaste, Low Pungent Aromatic Nose Feel. Citrus Aroma with low other aroma Characteristics (sweet, clover, spicy cinnamon, flowery perfume, anise, sharp). igh in Tiny Air Bubbles Appearance, Low Transparent, Low Thick Viscous Appearance, and Low on most flavor attributes except Flavor and Flavor. Low in Aftertaste attributes except.,, and Aroma, Flowery Perfume and Flavor (like red hots), Flowery Perfume and Aftertaste Table 2. igh and Low Intensity Attributes Relative to Other oney AROMA Nectar Spicy Cinnamon Flowery Perfume Molasses Prune Lemon Chemical/ Avocado L L L L L L Orange Blossom Sage L L L L L L Saw L Tupelo Sw eet Nectar Gre en Spicy Cinnamo n FLAVOR Flowery Perfume Molasses Prune Medicin al Barn y Avocado L L L L L L L Orange Blossom
Sage L L L L Saw L L L L L Tupelo Avocado Orange Blossom Sage Saw Tupelo NOSE/MOUTFEEL Pungent Aromatic L L AFTERTASTE/AFTERFEEL Avocado L Orange Blossom Sage L L L L Saw Tupelo APPEARANCE ATTRIBUTES
NOSE/MOUTFEEL ATTRIBUTES Pungent Aromatic Intensity of pungent aromatic feel, stays in the nose and seems to burn the nose Degree to which sample has a bite that stings the tongue like a hot spice feeling AFTERTASTE/AFTERFEEL ATTRIBUTES Intensity of lingering sweet honey flavor remaining Intensity of a lingering perfume like or artificial perfume flavor remaining Intensity of lingering flavor like molasses, brown sugar, a caramelized flavor, prunes, or raisins Intensity of lingering fruity flavor like apricot, not quite ripe mango, or peach Intensity of metallic flavor such as a lingering iron flavor remaining Degree to which mouthfeel is let dry on tongue and mount, astringent Degree to which flavor lingers in mouth for a long time from goes away quickly to lingers a long time Aftertaste 3 Aftertaste 1 Avacado Aftertaste Pungent Aromatic Aftertaste Aftertaste 4 3 1 Aftertaste Orange Blossom Pungent Aromatic
Aftertaste 3 Aftertaste 1 Aftertaste Tupelo Sage Pungent Aromatic Aftertaste 4 4 3 1 Aftertaste Aftertaste Aftertaste 4 4 3 1 Aftertaste Aftertaste
AROMA ATTRIBUTES Lemon Chemical/ Intensity of sweet aroma, sweet as typically comes from honey Intensity of aroma like clover nectar, a sweet flowery nectar but quite delicate Intensity of green aroma, this can include any green plant and green unripened fruit Intensity of spicy cinnamon like aroma, smells like red hots Intensity of waxy aroma like beeswax Intensity of flowery or perfumy aroma including white lilies or citrus blossom Intensity of anise aroma like anise candy or black licorice Intensity of aroma like molasses, sorghum molasses, prunes, raisins, horehound candy or brown sugar Intensity of a strong, sharp, barny aroma Intensity of lemon-like aroma Intensity of chemical or medicinal aroma may be like varnish Chemical/Medical 3 1 Lemon Molasses/Prune Avacado Chemical/Medical 3 1 Lemon Orange Blossom
Chemical/Medical 3 1 Lemon Tupelo Sage 1 Citrus 1 Citrus
FLAVOR ATTRIBUTES Barny Tea Intensity of sweet flavor, a sweet typical of honey Intensity of flavor like clover nectar Intensity of green flavor, this can include any green growing thing and green un-ripened fruit Intensity of spicy cinnamon like flavor, tastes like red hots Intensity of waxy flavor like beeswax Intensity of flowery or perfumy flavor including white lilies or citrus blossom Intensity of anise flavor like black licorice or anise candy Intensity of flavor like molasses, brown sugar, a caramelized flavor, horehound candy, prunes, or raisins Intensity of medicine like or medicinal flavor, may be like varnish, outer part of the mango Intensity of fruity flavor like apricot, peach, lemon, orange Intensity of barn-like flavor characteristic of some dark honey Intensity of metallic flavor or iron flavor Intensity of bitter flavor Intensity of tea flavor 4 3 Barny 1 Avacado Molasses/Prune 4 3 Barny 1 Orange Blossom Molasses/Prune
4 3 Barny 1 Tupelo Sage Molasses/Prune 1 Tea 1 Tea