Distilled liquors and spirits having the fresh and natural fragrance of shiso and processes for producing the same

Abstract

Provided are liquors or spirits that compensate for the oily and grass-like smell of perillaldehyde, the primary aroma component of Perilla frutescens var. crispa (shiso), to ensure that the fresh and natural fragrance of shiso is developed in a balanced way. In the process of making distilled liquors or spirits, the temperature of the distillation feed charged into a distillation vessel is managed appropriately, whereby the aroma components of shiso used as part of the feed can be recovered in a balanced way to produce distilled liquors or spirits having the fresh and natural fragrance of shiso. According to the distillation method of the present invention, no extra equipment investment is required and distilled liquors or spirits of good quality can be obtained with a minimum production cost.

1 . A distilled liquor or spirit that is produced using  Perilla frutescens  var.  crispa , which contains the following aroma components (A) and (B):
 (A) perillaldehyde; and   (B) one or more aroma components selected from the group consisting of limonene, cineol, linalool, benzaldehyde, α-pinene, and β-pinene;   
       wherein the total sum of the weights of components in group (B) is at least 4.0 mg in terms of pure alcohol per liter of the distilled liquor or spirit. 
     
     
         2 . A distilled liquor or spirit that is produced using  Perilla frutescens  var.  crispa , which contains the following aroma components (A) and (B):
 (A) perillaldehyde; and   (B) one or more aroma components selected from the group consisting of limonene, cineol, linalool, benzaldehyde, α-pinene, and β-pinene;   
       wherein the weight of component (A) is at least 2.5 mg and the total sum of the weights of components in group (B) is at least 4.0 mg, both values being in terms of pure alcohol per liter of the distilled liquor or spirit. 
     
     
         3 . A distilled liquor or spirit that is produced using  Perilla frutescens  var.  crispa , which contains the following aroma components (A) and (B):
 (A) perillaldehyde; and   (B) one or more aroma components selected from the group consisting of limonene, cineol, linalool, benzaldehyde, α-pinene, and β-pinene;   
       wherein the ratio of the total sum of the weights of components in group (B) to the weight of component (A) per liter of the distilled liquor or spirit is equal to or greater than 0.9, as expressed by (B)/(A)≧0.9, in terms of pure alcohol. 
     
     
         4 . The distilled liquor or spirit according to  claim 1 , wherein  Perilla frutescens  var.  crispa  is selected from between  Perilla frutescens  var.  crispa f. purpurea  and  Perilla frutescens  var.  crispa f. viridis.    
     
     
         5 . The distilled liquor or spirit according to  claim 1 , wherein the  Perilla frutescens  var.  crispa  is one or more members selected from among:
 (1) leaves or stem of fresh  Perilla frutescens  var.  crispa;      (2) a dried, sheared, ground or enzymatically treated product of leaves or stem of fresh  Perilla frutescens  var.  crispa ; and   (3) a liquid extract obtained by extracting (1) or (2) with water or an aqueous solution.   
     
     
         6 . The distilled liquor or spirit according to  claim 1 , which is Shochu. 
     
     
         7 . A process for producing a distilled liquor or spirit comprising the steps of:
 charging a distillation vessel with an alcohol-containing distillation feed and  Perilla frutescens  var.  crispa ; and distilling the distillation feed under such conditions that   (C) the temperature of the distillation feed at the time when the first fraction distills out; and   (D) the temperature of the distillation feed at the end of distillation satisfy 50° C.≦(C)≦78° C. and 55° C.≦(D)≦90° C.   
     
     
         8 . The process according to  claim 7 , wherein the  Perilla frutescens  var.  crispa  is one or more members selected from among:
 (1) leaves or stem of fresh  Perilla frutescens  var.  crispa;      (2) a dried, sheared, ground or enzymatically treated product of leaves or stem of fresh  Perilla frutescens  var.  crispa ; and   (3) a liquid extract obtained by extracting (1) or (2) with water or an aqueous solution.   
     
     
         9 . The process according to  claim 8 , wherein the  Perilla frutescens  var.  crispa  is leaves and/or stem of fresh  Perilla frutescens  var.  crispa , and the following aroma components (A) and (B):
 (A) perillaldehyde; and   (B) one or more aroma components selected from the group consisting of limonene, cineol, linalool, benzaldehyde, α-pinene, and β-pinene;   
       are extracted in the distillation step, and wherein the total sum of the weights of components in group (B) is at least 4.0 mg in terms of pure alcohol per liter of the distilled liquor or spirit. 
     
     
         10 . The process according to  claim 7 , wherein distillation is performed in the distillation step at a reduced pressure between 120 mmHg (ca. 16 kPa) and 350 mmHg (ca. 46.7 kPa). 
     
     
         11 . The process according to  claim 7 , wherein the distilled liquor or spirit is Shochu. 
     
     
         12 . An alcoholic beverage made by blending the distilled liquor or spirit according to  claim 1  with water and/or another liquor or spirit. 
     
     
         13 . The alcoholic beverage according to  claim 12 , which contains the following aroma components (A) and (B):
 (A) perillaldehyde; and   (B) one or more aroma components selected from the group consisting of limonene, cineol, linalool, benzaldehyde, α-pinene, and β-pinene;   
       wherein the total sum of the weights of components in group (B) is at least 2.5 mg in terms of pure alcohol per liter of the alcoholic beverage as packed in a container. 
     
     
         14 . An alcoholic beverage obtained by soaking fruit in the distilled liquor or spirit according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         15 . An alcoholic beverage obtained by soaking fruit in the alcoholic beverage according to  claim 13 .