Background. Maturation, known as aging, is a method of improving the quality of spirit beverages (okovita, brandy) produced from raw (non-rectified) spirits. Traditionally, this process is carried out for at least several months in oak barrels. An alternative solution may be accelerated maturation using oak chips. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of a dose and  degree of oak chips toasting, as well as the temperature of maturation, on the physicochemical changes in the composition of wheat distillate. The raw material was a distillate from the Khorasan (Kamut) wheat cultivar, which was matured with natural and heavily toasted oak chips. To assess the physicochemical changes in the studied samples of the distillate, methods  recommended in the spirit industry were used.
Results and conclusions. The maturation of wheat distillate with oak chips caused an increase of the extract content and changes in the color of the distillate, which were correlated with the type  and dose of chips, as well as the temperature and time of maturation. In the samples aged with toasted chips, a significant increase in furfural concentration and a decrease in the content of 1- propanol, 2-methylpropanol and 1-butanol were noted in relation to the control sample. Comparing the impact of the type of chips on changes in the content of esters, it was found that the  conditions which were more favorable for their synthesis existed in the presence of natural than heavily toasted chips. Moreover, the catalytic effect of the increased temperature of spirit  maturation on the formation of esters was observed.