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A SPIRITUOUS DISCOURSE
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article, provided they use enough raisins ; three
pounds being required to make a gallon of liquor.
A good deal can also be done, in the way of
imitation wine, by chemicals; it being quite
possible to make sherry which will fetch at least
four shillings per bottle, for the ridiculous sum
of fourpence for the same quantity. And it
is also a fact that a large quantity of alleged
claret which (mainly through the endeavours of
the late Mr. W. E. Gladstone) we are able to
import on the cheap from the other side of the
water, is made from currants and raisins steeped
in water and mixed with cheap Spanish wine.
And what is to be said of British brandy ?
A country which can manufacture superior
Dorset butter from Thames mud, and real turtle-
soup from snails and conger-eels, is not likely to
get "left" in a matter of distilling. A great
deal of brandy is, therefore, made in the tight
little island from ordinary grain alcohol, by
adding Argol—I'll tell ye what this is presently
—bruised French plums, French wine-vinegar,
a little—a very little—good cognac, and^ redis
tilling.
I believe that it is also possible to
extract a good midnight sort of brandy speci
ally recommended for roysterers—from coal-tar
and paraffin.
The Americans make brandy from peaches
and other stone-fruits, good wholesome liquor,
but their French cognac is not to be recom
mended. For it is nothing more nor less than
the common whisky which America has exported
to France, sent back again, after the necessary
treatment. Fact.