International Taste Institute

Using Sensory Evaluations as an Extension of R&D: The House of Lords Story

For premium spirits producer House of Lords, participating in the International Taste Institute's sensory evaluations is part and parcel of the company’s product development strategy. Since 2022, the Mauritius-based spirits company has used the expert jury's feedback for nearly the entirety of their line, helping refine formulations, validate sensory profiles, and continuously improve new products before they reach the market. 

SITUATION: Turning sensory evaluation into a product development tool

Founded in Mauritius in 2016, House of Lords specializes in the ageing, blending, and bottling of premium spirits. Its portfolio includes whiskies, rums, brandies, liqueurs, aperitifs, gin, vodka, and absinthe, all developed with a strong focus on innovation and craftsmanship.

For founder and Managing Director Dr. Sukhbir Puri, a chemist by training, sensory evaluation is a key component of product creation. Over the years, House of Lords has regularly submitted products for evaluation to obtain independent feedback on their taste profiles and identify opportunities for improvement.

"Getting our products evaluated is an integral part of the company’s processes," says Dr. Puri. "We are a small team. I view the Institute's panel as an extension of our internal research and development team."

 

SOLUTIONS: Using expert insights to refine formulations

To meet their goals, House of Lords relies on the Comments & Suggestions reports proposed by the Institute. These detailed assessments provide written feedback on the key intrinsic sensory characteristics of the product: first impression, vision, olfaction, taste and final sensation.

For Dr. Puri, the tasting reports provide valuable and unbiased input, helping the team compare its own perceptions with those of experienced sommeliers:

"The reports are a good benchmarking exercise. Did the jury grasp what we perceived? What did they perceive differently? Is there something we need to reassess?"

The insights shared by the jury help guide decision-making and identify aspects to further improve before the product reaches consumers. One example was the case of the 7 Brothers Classic Malt Blended Whisky. Before launching, House of Lords submitted the product for evaluation and received an overall score of 76.8%. Rather than moving forward unchanged, the team used the jury's feedback – in this case, particularly focused on mouthfeel – to refine the formulation and submitted the whisky again. The revised product achieved a higher overall evaluation score of 84.9%. What’s more, its score for ‘Final Sensation’ improved from 75.8% to 84.0%.

This process of evaluation, improvement, and re-evaluation has become part of House of Lords' innovation cycle, helping ensure that new products reach the highest possible standard.

OUTCOMES: Better products and stronger market credibility

The sensory evaluations have enabled House of Lords to continuously improve its products while maintaining consistency across its growing portfolio. The detailed feedback helps the team make informed formulation decisions and provides reassurance that their products deliver the intended tasting experience.

Beyond product development, the tasting reports also create additional commercial value. House of Lords incorporates the expert tasting notes into its website, packaging, and marketing materials, helping consumers better understand the sensory profile of each spirit.

"For spirit connoisseurs, the tasting notes can often be the deciding factor prior to purchase," says Dr. Puri. "They both inspire and give a concrete idea of what to expect."

In business discussions with distributors and trade partners, the sensory results provide credible third-party validation of the quality of House of Lords' products and the care invested in their development.

By combining internal expertise with independent feedback from experienced sommeliers, House of Lords continues to refine its recipes, strengthen its reputation for craftsmanship, and bring better products to market.

The Institute’s Tasting Reports offer a personalized and detailed sensory evaluation of your product. The expert jury takes time when evaluating your product to provide written feedback on each of the 5 sensory criteria. They provide insights you can use to improve or comments you can leverage as claims or in your marketing communications.

Learn how to get evaluated at our next blind tastings:

taste-institute.com/en/access/get-started