Sensory profiling of honeybush tea (Cyclopia species) and the development of a honeybush sensory wheel

Abstract Several Cyclopia species ( Cyclopia sessiliflora , Cyclopia longifolia , Cyclopia genistoides , Cyclopia intermedia , Cyclopia subternata and Cyclopia maculata ), used as honeybush herbal tea, were analyzed using descriptive sensory analysis in order to develop a generic honeybush sensory wheel. It was found that the “characteristic” sensory profile of honeybush could be described as “floral”, “sweet-associated”, “fruity”, “plant-like” and “woody” with a sweet taste and a slightly astringent mouthfeel, whereas other attributes defined differences in the sensory characteristics between the Cyclopia species. The species could be divided into three distinct groups: group A ( C. sessiliflora , C. intermedia and C. genistoides ) associated with “fynbos-floral”, “fynbos-sweet” and “plant-like” attributes, group B ( C. longifolia and C. subternata ) with “rose geranium” and “fruity-sweet” and group C ( C. maculata ) with “woody”, “boiled syrup” and “cassia/cinnamon”. The large sample set enabled the development of a generic honeybush sensory wheel, comprising of 30 attributes, organized into positive and negative attributes in primary and secondary tiers. Gas chromatographic-olfactometry of the aroma fraction of a sample of C. maculata with a prominent spicy aroma indicated a high level of eugenol, the only aroma-active compound that associated with a spicy aroma.