Cassell's dictionary of cookery

prepared in all the wine countries of Europe, but particularly in France, where, however, the localities of the best French brandy are extremely limited. The grapes most proper for wines are not the best suited for brandy. The general mode of preparing brandy is extremely simple, being nothing more than a well-regulated distillation of wine in suitable vessels. At the commencement of the vintage, the manufacturers collect all the grapes that arc not fit for good wine, ferment their juices, and distil them for brandy ; they also use for this purpose all wines that have failed in the making — although, if they have become at all acid, the brandy is tainted. The spirit next in importance is Gin. "This word is a corruption of Geneva, as that is of the French word r/enierre, or juniper. Gin is also called Hollands. Geneva, however, is not gin, but a kind of liquor made from the berries of the juniper, which contain as much as thirty-four per cent, of sugar, and may be easily fermented. Gin was first made in Holland, and was brought into this country as Hollands gin. It is distilled from corn malt, and various substances are added to it to give it flavour. The most common substances of this kind are juniper berries, but a variety of substances are added to suit the taste of the customer, so that no two gins are alike. In this country every gin distiller uses his own ingredients, whilst the retailer of gin has also his particular recipes for rendering his gin profitable or palatable, or both. Sometimes injurious substances are added to gin to make it taste strong, as sulphuric acid and sulphate of zinc ; these, however, are adulterations. The substances used for flavouring gin are numerous enough. Thus we find enumerated bitter almonds, turpentine, "Creosote, 'lemon, cardamoms, caraways, cassia, garlic, Canada balsam, horseradish, cayenne pepper, and grains of paradise. None of these things are poisonous, and probably all of them assist in determining the action of the alcohol of the gin as a diuretic. Gin does not usually contain so much alcohol as brandy — not more than eight ounces to the joint being found in the best gins. Sugar is added by many distillers, but others do not add this ingredient. Gin, as it is retailed, always contains sugar, and not frequently more than four ounces of alcohol to the pint. It is consequently a weaker spirit generally than brandy, and so far is perhaps less injurious when taken raw. The practice, however, of taking any kind of raw spirits is a very hazardous proceeding, and cannot be habitually indulged in without danger." — Dr. Lankester. Whisky is a spirit produced by distillation from grain, roots, and other materials. The best is obtained from barley after it has been malted, though that which goes under the name of raw grain whisky, made from wheat, oats, rye, Indian corn, rice, &c., after being kept for two or three years, is almost as good. Whisky is also manufactured from potatoes, beetroot, beans, molasses, sugar, &c.,malt being sometimes added to a small extent. Tliis spirit used to be made almost solely in Scotland, Ireland, and the United States; but distilleries now, however, are numerous in England, France^ Germany, Holland, and Sweden. The foreign spirit is, as a rule, coarse in quality, and only suited for fortifying wines. Whisky has frequently a slight smoky flavour, supposed