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THE GENTLEMAN'S COMPANION
with a flip of the head, like Aquavit, which in many ways it resembles.
It
is
a potent white liquor which should be on every complete bar shelf,
but unnecessary to medium or small bars. Formerly made from rye and
barley malt it is now made from corn and potatoes. The proof runs as
high as
120,
which means
6oo/o
alcohol, so take care.
THE COMPANY of WHISKIES, which ARE BOURBON, IRISH,
RYE, and SCOTCH ... Bourbon and rye are needed for very many
important cocktails, besides a host of mixed drinks. . . . Irish is indi–
cated for a few cocktails, hot toddies, and highballs. . . . Scotch is not a
happy cocktail mixer, unfortunately, and its main value is in a highball
called "whiskysoda" around the civilized and uncivilized world.
The smallest bars need bourbon
or
rye, and Scotch. Medium require
bourbon, rye and Scotch. . . . Large require Irish as well.
Bourbon, Irish, and rye run close to
100
proof or 5oo/o alcohol. Scotch
a trifle milder, around 4oo/o.... All are distilled from malted or fer–
mented grain: corn, barley, rye, and so on, and flavoured by the waters,
minerals, dusts, pollens and what-not native to their place of origin.
Due to the same mysterious natural factors which make the Spey River
Valley
g~
for Scotch-just so the water, climate, and so on of Mary–
land prove toward good rye, and Kentucky toward sound bourbons.
. . . This is no argument against the location of the immense modern
distilleries everywhere-but a simple statement of proven history....
There are peanut-fed smoked hams outside Virginia-but Virginia is
known to the world; there are crabs and crabs, but the Florida and West
Indies stone or Morro Crab is something else; there are soups and soups,
but a New Orleans gumbo is super-just like brandy from France's
Cognac region, scuppernong wine from our own North Carolina, An–
gostura bitters from Trinidad. . . . Bear this in mind when American
whisky stocks get decently aged and within range of a sane man's bank
balance again. . . . As they will
I
Taken sanely and in moderation whisky is beneficial, aids digestion,
helps throw off colds, megrims, and influenzas. Used improperly the
effect is just as bad as stuffing on too many starchy foods, taking no
exercise, or disliking our neighbour.
WHITE MULE, CAWN LIKKER, SHINE, MOON, et al. . . . Re–
gardless of alias this sequence simply means the raw, new, colourless,
distilled product of fermented corn mash, sugar and water....
If
well
made, of decent materials, in a proper still, with the fusel oil rectified
• 190 •