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MANUFACTUBING AND ADULTERATING LIQUORS.
5
rit; a fine old brandy being, perhaps, 8 or 10 u. p.,
while that of last year's vintage may be as strong
as 2or1 u. p.
THE OONSTITUENTS OF BRANDY.
lst.
Alcohot-we
define as pure spirits of the
strongest class, highly rectified. It is obtained from
various substancee by distillation: from
all
kinds of
grain ; from wine, molasses and sugar ; from
all
kinds of froits containing saccharine matter. Di–
luted i!olcohol may be obtained by distillation from
all kinds of fermented liquors. Its components are
hydrogen, oxygen, and carbon, in such proportions
as
to
render it a powerful stimulant, and highly
in–
toxicating.
2d.
Sugar.-This
exists in small quantities in
nearly every substance from which alcohol is dis–
tilled, and its general properties are the same as
alcohol. Its presence in liquors softens the alcohol
to the taste.
3d.
Volatile
Oil,
known by the commercial name
of
"Oil Oognac."-'TI1is
is a highly odorous oil, that
comelJ
off,
in the distillation of brandy,* to a certain
extent, being separated, more or less, according to
*
It
is
iUao
obtai,Ded by
the distillation of the thick lees of French
wines.
Digitized
by