150 / 374
iSo
DRINICS.
"Fhairhson
had
a
son
Who
married
Noah's
daughter^
And
nearly
spoiled
ta
flood,
By
trinking
up
ta
water
;
Which
he
would
have
done,
I
at
least
pelieve
it,
Had
ta
mixture
peen
Only
half
Glenlivet
"
?
It
was
such
a
famous
place
that,
according
to
the
Ordnance
Gazetteer
of
Scotland^
there
were
as
many
as
200
illicit
stills
there,
in
brisk
work,
at
the
begin-
ning
of
the
present
century.
''Small
still"
whiskey
is
undoubtedly
the
best,
for
only
good
materials
can
be
used,
as
the
distillation
carries
over
the
flavour
of
the
malt.
Hear
what
Dr.
Thudicum
says^
:
"
The
product
of
the
patent
still
derives
its
name
from
the
fact
that
it
is
mere
alcohol
and
water,
having
no
distinctive
qualities,
telling
no
tales
to
nose
or
palate
of the
source
from
which
it
was
obtained,
and
hence,
in
the
almost
poetic
spirit
of the
trade,
it
is
commonly
called
'silent
spirit.'
The
owner
of
a
patent
still,
instead
of
being
confined,
like
a
whiskey
distiller,
to
the
use
of
the
best
materials,
is
able
to
make
his
spirit
from
any,
even
spoiled
and
waste,
materials,
and
with
little
reference
to
any
other
quality
than
cheapness.
The
worst
of
the
spirit
thus
produced
is
fit
only
for
methylation,
preparatory
for
being
used
for
trade
purposes,
exclusive
of
consumption
as
a
beverage.
When
intended
for
a
beverage,
it
must
be
rectified
and
flavoured.
It
thus
serves
as
a
basis
1
Alcoholic
Drinks^
1884,
p.
67.