Exploring The Sensory and Aroma Characteristics of Rakı Through Check-All-That-Apply and Consumer Preference Approaches.

Rakı, a traditional distilled beverage produced from grapes, holds significant economic importance in Türkiye; however, comprehensive consumer-focused sensory research remains limited. This study aims to determine the aroma profile, sensory characteristics, and consumer preferences of commercial rakı to guide producers in aligning product characteristics with consumer expectations. Nine commercial rakı samples were evaluated. The aroma composition was analyzed using SBSE-GC-MS. Sensory attributes were assessed by a trained panel through descriptive analysis (DA) and by 100 consumers utilizing the Check-All-That-Apply (CATA) method alongside a liking test. Eighty-one aroma compounds were identified, predominantly the phenylpropanoids trans-anethole and estragole, with monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes dominating the secondary profile. Integrating instrumental data with DA evaluations suggests that anethole and sesquiterpenes likely contribute to the attributes related to visual coating, body, creamy, mastic, persistency, and complexity. Consumer profiling revealed two distinct preference groups. Older, frequent consumers preferred complex, high-alcohol profiles with trigeminal harshness and visual glass coating, whereas younger, casual consumers preferred smoother rakı with a traditional white appearance, reacting negatively to "boiled aniseed" flavors and the yellowish tint of oak-aged versions. The CATA technique effectively distinguished these profiles. To enhance overall product quality, producers should eliminate "boiled" defects and adjust sensory profiles: complex products for experienced consumers and visually traditional, smooth profiles for younger consumers. According to current knowledge, this is the first study to employ the CATA method alongside consumer profiling and preference mapping in the sensory evaluation of rakı.