2 minute read
Terroir truth
Farming brief
Mapping every tree in the world to create the most accurate tree database is the goal of Tremap’s mobile phone app, backed by Agri-tech Cornwall. Existing methods of labelling and recording trees are cumbersome – now what used to take hours takes seconds. The aim is to label every tree on earth by 2030, and learn far more about existing trees.
www.tremap.com
Farmer Time started by ‘Farmer Tom Martin’ and implemented through LEAF aims to help school children better understand and engage with where their food comes from. With a Farmer Time video call every two/three weeks it brings farmers into the classroom in a more engaging way – directly from their workplace.
www.farmertime.org
The £35m International Barley Hub at the James Hutton Institute, Invergowrie aims to secure the sector’s future by helping develop new varieties and growing systems to cope with climate change. The adjacent £27m Advanced Plant Growth Centre aims to revolutionise crop production systems to produce food locally, 365 days a year, with less environmental impact. The two projects aim to create over 470 jobs in Tayside and 2,200 jobs across the wider Scottish and UK economy.
Terroir matters
PEER-REVIEWED research proves the concept of ‘terroir’ is not unique to wine and cognac. The study showed soil, microclimate and topography influenced barley growth, which in turn affected whisky flavour.
The French concept of terroir – long accepted in other drinks categories – was examined by a team of academics from the USA, Scotland, Greece, Belgium and Ireland, including Teagasc, Enterprise Ireland, Minch Malt and Scotland’s leading whisky laboratory.
The study, reported in leading scientific journal Foods, examined two barley varieties grown in 2017 and 2018 on farms in Athy, County Kildare and Bunclody, County Wexford.
Samples were micro-malted and micro-distilled in laboratory conditions to produce 32 different whisky distillate samples, which were tested using gas chromatography, mass spectrometry and olfactometry, plus highly trained sensory experts.
More than 42 different flavour compounds were identified, half of which were directly influenced by the barley’s terroir.
The sheltered inland Athy site had higher pH and more calcium, magnesium and molybdenum in its limestone-soil, consistently higher temperatures and lower rainfall. The resulting whisky was characterised by toasted almond notes, and a malty, biscuity, oily finish.
The more exposed Bunclody site had lower pH and more iron, copper and manganese in its shale/slate bedrock soil. The farm is closer to the coast and typically subject to more volatile weather. Its whisky was lighter and floral, with a flavour of fresh fruitiness.
The findings raise the possibility of regionally specific whiskies, potentially with an Appellation Controlée-type system, as in wine.
“Using standardised malting and distillation protocols, we preserved distinct flavours associated with the testing environments and observed year-to-year variations, indicating that terroir is a significant contributor to whisky flavour,” said Dr Dustin Herb, Lead Researcher at Oregon State University.
Mark Reynier, Founder and CEO of Waterford Distillery added: “This study proves that barley’s flavours are influenced by where it is grown, meaning – like wine and cognac – whisky’s taste is terroir-driven.”
