Spectrophotometric Determination of Color Intensity of Whisky: Collaborative Study

Abstract

A method for measuring color intensity of whisky was developed to replace the present AOAC method, which has become obsolete. The new method was collaboratively studied by 20 persons. Color intensity of whisky was measured as absorbance by a spectrophotometer, using a 1 cm cell, a bandwidth ≤10 nm, and a wavelength of 525 nm. Water was used as reference. Collaborator results appear acceptable for whisky samples that vary in color intensity from 29 to 374 CIU (absorbance X 1000 = Color Intensity Units (CIU)). The maximum standard deviation and coefficient of variation were 5.8 CIU and 6.68%, respectively. The method has been adopted official first action.