Flavor Composition Analysis of Light-Aroma Liquor of Yellow Crane Tower Based on GC × GC-TOFMS

Two-dimensional gas chromatography-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC × GC-TOF MS), descriptive sensory analysis, and electronic tongue technology were employed to comprehensively elucidate the flavor composition of Yellow Crane Tower’s light-aroma liquor Q1 based on both sensory and chemical attributes. The results indicated that Q1 exhibited significant positive correlations with the sensory descriptors “Grainy,” “Fruity,” “Herbaceous,” “Floral,” and “Harmonization.” A total of 444 potential aroma compounds were identified in samples of light-aroma Baijiu from various regions. Through orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) and non-parametric one-way analysis of variance (one-way ANOVA), 81 compounds were found to be significantly different among the samples. Notably, β-ionone, which is associated with health benefits, was detected at a concentration of 88.4 µg/L in Q1, higher than in other samples. Additionally, the relative concentration and sensory threshold of each volatile compound were compared using the relative odor activity value (ROAV) to quantitatively assess the contribution of each compound to the overall flavor profile in liquor. The ROAV value for “Ethyl Decanoate” in Q1 was 2.803, indicating its substantial contribution to the overall flavor profile. Furthermore, β-caryophyllene, another health-promoting compound, was uniquely detected in Q1 at a concentration of 20 mg/L.