Influence of the type of Sherry wine and the length of time of the seasoning on phenolic and furanic compounds and CIELab parameters of Brandies de Jerez

Brandy de Jerez is a unique spirit characterized by its aging in Sherry Casks®. Seasoning softens the casks’ wood and removes part of its extractable compounds, some of which are undesirable from an organoleptic point of view. The seasoning wine contributes with specific compounds that otherwise either would not be present at all in Brandies de Jerez, or they would in lower quantities. The length of time and the type of Sherry wine are two key parameters to be controlled when considering the seasoning process. In this study, a number of Brandies de Jerez have been aged in casks that were previously seasoned for 3, 6, 12, 18 or 60 months using either one out of three different Sherry wine types or a young fortified wine. It has been demonstrated that, according to the seasoning time and the type of wine used, significant variations with regard to phenolic and furanic compounds and CIEL*a*b* parameters would be detected between the brandies aged in the different casks. •TPI, phenolic compounds and CIEL*a*b* parameters of Brandy de Jerez have been studied.•Seasoning has a great impact on phenols, furans and CIEL*a*b* values of Brandy de Jerez.•TPI decreases with short/standard seasoning and increases with long seasoning.•CIEL*a*b* parameters were only affected by long seasoning (60 months).•Significant contributions and differences could be observed with 60 months of seasoning.