70 / 174
70
MIXED DRINKS.
immutable purity several centuries, there are many
new brands coming into use every few years,some to
live, many to die of neglect.
"We shall give a brief account of a limited number
of the more important of these remarkable standard
compounds and call attention to the bases of their
manufacture,and mention incidentally what in common
parlance are known as"straight drinks."
n
The alcoholic liquors most commonly distilled for
drinking, culinary and medicinal purposes, are these:
Brandy, which is obtained by the distillation of
wine. The aroma is due to ether'and other volatile
products. Any wine will do for this purpose, but
the light-colored varieties yield the purest and most
aromatic brandy.'The best comesfrom France. In the
departments of Charente and Chareute Inferieure, a
variety of grape is cultivated exclusively for the pro
duction of brandy, the yield of which constitutes the
Cognac of commerce. Armaguac comes from the
departments of Landes,Gers,and Lot et Garonne. The
Cognac district, which produces the richest and most
delicate spirit distilled, is separated into distinct zones
of production, according to the quality of the spirit
each yields. In the centre pf the district on the left