Numerical taxonomy of some leuconostocs and related bacteria isolated from Scotch whisky distilleries

Forty‐six presumptive Leuconostoc strains and 13 lactobacilli isolated from malt and grain whisky fermentations together with 14 reference strains of Leuconostoc and Lactobacillus were examined for 99 characters. Data were analysed using a variety of similarity coefficients and clustering algorithms. Two aggregate clusters representing Leuconostoc and Lactobacillus were consistently recovered. Many of the presumptive leuconostocs from whisky fermentations were identified as Leuc. mesenteroides. A second large cluster of strains could not be positively identified. Although recovered within the Leuconostoc aggregate cluster, some of these strains hydrolysed arginine, a characteristic of lactobacilli. The study demonstrates a more diverse flora of lactic acid bacteria existing in the distillery fermentation than had been previously recognized.