There is a list of flavours and aroma’s on the Revised Scottish Whisky Flavour Wheel. This list is the result of hard work that was done by many people. The origins of the RSWFW, as I call it in short, can be found following this link.

I wanted to learn and then share where all the Congeners in the Revised Scotch Whisky Flavour Wheel (#RSWFW) come from!

  • How were the congeners made during the whisky production process?
  • What is meant by them?
  • Where do they come from?

This page will be an updated to include links to individual blog entries. So if you want to find out what makes whisky taste like vanilla? Just scroll down and click the link.

ps: I started this task on 31 December 2016. I will go from the first to the last descriptor. So if you find a descriptor without a link … I have probably not gotten around to it yet.

pps: feel free to send input!

Head Sub Descriptors
A: Peaty 1. Burnt Tar
A: Peaty 1. Burnt Soot
A: Peaty 1. Burnt Ash
A: Peaty 2. Smokey Wood Smoke
A: Peaty 2. Smokey Kippery
A: Peaty 2. Smokey Smoked bacon
A: Peaty 2. Smokey Smoked cheese
A: Peaty 3. Medicinal TCP
A: Peaty 3. Medicinal Antiseptic Germoline
A: Peaty 3. Medicinal Hospital
B: Grainy 1. Cereal Digestive biscuit
B: Grainy 1. Cereal Husky
B: Grainy 1. Cereal Bran
B: Grainy 1. Cereal Leathery
B: Grainy 1. Cereal Tobacco
B: Grainy 1. Cereal Mousy
B: Grainy 2. Malt Malt extract
B: Grainy 2. Malt Malted barley
B: Grainy 3. Mash Porridge
B: Grainy 3. Mash Draff
B: Grainy 3. Mash Wort
B: Grainy 3. Mash Cooked Maize
C: Grassy 1. Fresh Leafy
C: Grassy 1. Fresh Wet/Cut grass
C: Grassy 1. Fresh Flower stem
C: Grassy 1. Fresh Green Apple
C: Grassy 1. Fresh Green Banana
C: Grassy 2. Dried Hay
C: Grassy 2. Dried Straw
C: Grassy 2. Dried Tea
C: Grassy 2. Dried Mint
C: Grassy 2. Dried Herbal
D: Fruity 1. Solventy Nail varnish remover
D: Fruity 1. Solventy Paint thinner
D: Fruity 1. Solventy Fusel oil
D: Fruity 2. Orchard Apple
D: Fruity 2. Orchard Peaches
D: Fruity 2. Orchard Pear
D: Fruity 3. Tropical Pear-drop
D: Fruity 3. Tropical Banana
D: Fruity 3. Tropical Pineapple
D: Fruity 3. Tropical Melon
D: Fruity 4. Citrus Orange
D: Fruity 4. Citrus Lemon
D: Fruity 4. Citrus Grapefruit
D: Fruity 4. Citrus Zest
D: Fruity 5. Berries Tomato stem
D: Fruity 5. Berries Black Currant
D: Fruity 5. Berries Catty
D: Fruity 6. Dried Raisins
D: Fruity 6. Dried Figs
D: Fruity 6. Dried Prunes
E: Floral 1. Natural Rose
E: Floral 1. Natural Lavender
E: Floral 1. Natural Violet
E: Floral 1. Natural Blue bell
E: Floral 1. Natural Carnation
E: Floral 1. Natural Heather
E: Floral 1. Natural Honey
E: Floral 2. Artificial Fragrant
E: Floral 2. Artificial Scented
E: Floral 2. Artificial Perfumed
F: Feints 1. Grainy  
F: Feints 2. Cheesy  
F: Feints 3. Oily  
F: Feints 4. Sulphury  
G. Woody new 1. Sap Green bark
G. Woody new 1. Sap Wet wood
G. Woody new 2. Cedar Sawdust
G. Woody new 2. Cedar Sharpened pencil
G. Woody new 3. Oak Resin
G. Woody new 3. Oak Polish
G. Woody new 4. Pine Turpentine
G. Woody new 4. Pine Retsina
G: Woody Extractive 5. Nutty Coconut
G: Woody Extractive 5. Nutty Hazel nut
G: Woody Extractive 5. Nutty Walnut
G: Woody Extractive 5. Nutty Almond/marzipan
G: Woody Extractive 6. Vanilla Ice cream
G: Woody Extractive 6. Vanilla Custard
G: Woody Extractive 6. Vanilla Cola
G: Woody Extractive 6. Vanilla Toffee
G: Woody Extractive 6. Vanilla Chocolate
G: Woody Extractive 6. Vanilla Cake mix
G: Woody Extractive 7. Spicy Clove
G: Woody Extractive 7. Spicy Cinnamon
G: Woody Extractive 7. Spicy Ginger
G: Woody Extractive 7. Spicy Aromatic
G: Woody Extractive 7. Spicy Nutmeg
G: Woody Extractive 8. Caramel Candy floss
G: Woody Extractive 8. Caramel Treacle
G: Woody Extractive 8. Caramel Coffee
G: Woody Extractive 8. Caramel Toast
G: Woody Extractive 8. Caramel Liquorice
G: Woody Extractive 9. Previous use Sherry
G: Woody Extractive 9. Previous use Bourbon
G: Woody Extractive 9. Previous use Port
G: Woody Extractive 9. Previous use Rum
G: Woody Extractive 9. Previous use Brandy
G: Woody Extractive 9. Previous use Wine
G: Woody Defective 10. Mothball Paraffin
G: Woody Defective 10. Mothball Naphtha
G: Woody Defective 10. Mothball Camphor
G: Woody Defective 11. Musty Mouldy
G: Woody Defective 11. Musty Earthy
G: Woody Defective 11. Musty Fusty
G: Woody Defective 11. Musty Corked
G: Woody Defective 12. Vinegary Acetic
G: Woody Defective 12. Vinegary Sour
H. Sweet 1. Buttery  
H. Sweet 2. Fruity  
H. Sweet 3. Floral  
H. Sweet 4. Woody  
I. Stale 1. Cardboard Papery
I. Stale 1. Cardboard Filter sheet
I. Stale 2. Metallic Inky
I. Stale 2. Metallic Tinny
I. Stale 2. Metallic Wet iron
I. Stale 2. Metallic Rusty
J. Sulphury 1. Stagnant Sewer
J. Sulphury 1. Stagnant Drains
J. Sulphury 1. Stagnant Foul water
J. Sulphury 1. Stagnant Rotten vegetables
J. Sulphury 2. Meaty Yeasty
J. Sulphury 2. Meaty Rotten egg
J. Sulphury 2. Meaty  
J. Sulphury 2. Meaty Marmite
J. Sulphury 3. Vegetable Turnip
J. Sulphury 3. Vegetable Potato peel
J. Sulphury 3. Vegetable Cooked
J. Sulphury 3. Vegetable Cooked Cabbage
J. Sulphury 4. Sour Pickled onion
J. Sulphury 4. Sour Garlic
J. Sulphury 5. Gassy Acrid
J. Sulphury 5. Gassy Burnt match
J. Sulphury 6. Rubbery Tyre / tubes
J. Sulphury 6. Rubbery Pencil eraser
J. Sulphury 6. Rubbery Plastic
K. Cheesy 1. Rancid Sickly sour
K. Cheesy 1. Rancid Baby vomit
K. Cheesy 1. Rancid Oxidized fat
K. Cheesy 2. Sweaty Old trainer / sock
K. Cheesy 2. Sweaty Musky
K. Cheesy 2. Sweaty Piggery
L. Oily 1. Soapy Waxy
L. Oily 1. Soapy Unscented soap
L. Oily 1. Soapy Detergent
L. Oily 1. Soapy Damp laundry
L. Oily 2. Buttery Creamy
L. Oily 2. Buttery Toffee
L. Oily 2. Buttery Butter scotch
L. Oily 3. Lubricant Mineral oil
L. Oily 4. Fat Fatty
L. Oily 4. Fat Greasy
L. Oily 4. Fat Fish oil
L. Oily 4. Fat Castor oil
P. Primary taste 1. Bitter  
P. Primary taste 2. Salt  
P. Primary taste 3. Sour  
P. Primary taste 4. Sweet  
Mouth effect 1. Astringent Drying
Mouth effect 1. Astringent Furry
Mouth effect 1. Astringent Powdery
Mouth effect 2. Coating Oily/creamy feeling
Mouth effect 3. Warming Alcoholic burn
Mouth effect 3. Warming Fiery
Nasal effect 1. Pungent  
Nasal effect 2. Drying  

Download your own EXCEL file here: RSWFW DOWNLOAD FROM ILADDIE WHISKY NERD