The result supports a bounded claim about treatment-linked differences in lab-scale new make. It does not establish a mature regional whiskey signature or isolate soil, climate, farm practice, and variety as independent causes. The thirty distillations are three laboratory processing replicates for each of ten grain lots from the 2016 harvest. The book's 20-percent 'substantial variation' threshold is not a p-value, and chromatographic signal is not automatically concentration or sensory potency. The underlying paper and supplements have now received their separate library review.
This is the book's strongest direct whiskey evidence: replicated lab-scale new make from a variety-by-farm Texas corn experiment.
Across thirty new-make bourbon samples, Arnold reports sixty-eight GC-MS-O aroma-event compounds; thirty-six varied substantially among treatments and were attributed to corn variety, farm environment, or their interaction. The trained panel also reported thirteen aromas as meaningfully influenced by those treatment effects.
PDF sheet 136; printed p. 128
PDF sheets 133–136; printed pp. 125–128
Chapter 9 — The Chemistry of Terroir
Freshly checked 2026-09-28 against supplied PDF 133–136 / printed 125–128 using enlarged rendered pages and sequential reading. Verification establishes faithful source representation, not independent validation of every author claim.
Evidence
Across thirty new-make bourbon samples, Arnold reports sixty-eight GC-MS-O aroma-event compounds; thirty-six varied substantially among treatments and were attributed to corn variety, farm environment, or their interaction. The trained panel also reported thirteen aromas as meaningfully influenced by those treatment effects.
Locator and context
PDF sheets 133–136; printed pp. 125–128; end PDF sheet 136; printed p. 128. This is the book's strongest direct whiskey evidence: replicated lab-scale new make from a variety-by-farm Texas corn experiment.
Assessment
The result supports a bounded claim about treatment-linked differences in lab-scale new make. It does not establish a mature regional whiskey signature or isolate soil, climate, farm practice, and variety as independent causes. The thirty distillations are three laboratory processing replicates for each of ten grain lots from the 2016 harvest. The book's 20-percent 'substantial variation' threshold is not a p-value, and chromatographic signal is not automatically concentration or sensory potency. The underlying paper and supplements have now received their separate library review.
Fresh verification
Freshly checked 2026-09-28 against supplied PDF 133–136 / printed 125–128 using enlarged rendered pages and sequential reading. Verification establishes faithful source representation, not independent validation of every author claim.