No 685 German autumn leaves - spirit

Autumn leaves, really autumn leaves? We are usually met with incredulous amazement when we tell people about this creation. But this product is exactly what DSM stands for: Trying out new, never-before-seen things. Even ideas that seem crazy are put into product development, and if the trial optimization results in what we expect, then it was worth all the effort, and if not, then we are one experience richer.

But what do you expect from a ghost of autumn leaves? Probably everyone really has this beguiling smell stored in their olfactory memory. There is something deeply grounding about walking through an autumn park or forest and noticing it, because it makes us aware of the cycle of things. And it is this smell that we have captured in our minds from the autumn leaves. We went out and collected freshly fallen leaves, beautifully yellowish to red in color after the chlorophyll had decayed through carotenoids and anthocyanins, and macerated them immediately. The tasting then brought the final surprise, because here, in addition to the autumnal notes, amazing fruity notes can be perceived, which complete the experience of this spirit.

And so it is not surprising that it has already made its way into various cocktail recipes. But where do this smell and taste actually come from? We cannot say exactly, but it is probably a combination of the decaying metabolic products of the leaves and the decomposition of the leaves by ray fungi found on the ground. These are bacteria of the species Streptomyces coelicolor, which produce, among other things, the earthy-smelling geosmin.