A Comparative Analysis of Aroma Profiles of and Other Distilled Spirits from Northeastern Asia.

The (Korean traditional distilled liquor) market is increasing worldwide. However, in contrast to well-explored distilled liquors, including (China) and (Japan), is less investigated, with limited research on its aroma characteristics. To facilitate better understanding of the aroma characteristics of , this study aims to overview recent research on the flavor characteristics of and compare data with those of and , well-established products in the market. is generally made using rice and (a traditional Korean fermentation starter). Previous studies have reflected that the aroma characteristics vary with raw materials' nutrition percentages, microbial taxa influenced in fermentation starters, and/or pressure reduction during distillation. The research on the aroma characteristics of , characterized by solid-state fermentation involving (a traditional Chinese fermentation starter), is focused on differences in regional characteristics of the flavor type. Research on the aroma characteristics of has primarily demonstrated that the microbial community could contribute significantly to the development of specific aromatic compounds and/or attributes. Moreover, the association of the aroma characteristics of and with their volatile compound development by the determination of selective ingredients has been examined. Understanding the current research progress can potentially facilitate the improvement in the aroma characteristics of .