Disclosed is a process for treating wood particles for use in flavoring aqueous liquids to mask undesirable taste components and to increase the extractability and reactivity of flavor enhancing components. Wood particles are contacted with a solution of aqueous ethanol, the solids separated and heated for at least fifteen minutes at temperatures up to 220° C. Also disclosed is a process for using such wood particles for treatment of aqueous liquids and aqueous liquids treated with such wood particles.