| Alcohol (85 per cent.) | 54 | litres. |
| Rum (good quality) | 2 | „ |
| Syrup of raisins | 3 | „ |
| Infusion of green walnut hulls | 2 | „ |
| Infusion of the shells of bitter almonds | 2 | „ |
| Catechu, in powder | 15 | grammes. |
| Balsam of tolu | 6 | „ |
| Pure water | 37 | litres. |
| Mix and colour with caramel. | ||
New Cognac, Montpellier, Saintonge, and other brandies are aged and improved by adding to every 100 litres: old rum, 2 litres; old kirsch, 1-3/4 litres; infusion of green walnut hulls, 3/4 litre; syrup of raisins, 2 litres.
A compound sold as “London Brandy Improver” consists of sugar syrup, acetic ether and essence of cayenne, coloured with caramel.
| Whisky:— | |||
| (Rye) | Proof spirit | 50 | galls. |
| Pelargonic ether | 2 | oz. | |
| Pear oil | 1 | „ | |
| Oil of wintergreen (dissolved in alcohol) | 10 | drops. | |
| Acetic ether | 4 | oz. | |
| Oil of cloves (dissolved in acetic ether) | 4 | drops. | |
| (Scotch) | Alcohol (95 per cent.) | 46 | galls. |
| Scotch whisky | 8 | „ | |
| Water | 18 | „ | |
| Honey (3 lbs. in 1½ gall. water) | |||
| Creosote | 5 | drops. | |
| Acetic acid | 2 | oz. | |
| Pelargonic ether | 1 | „ | |
| Ale | 1 | gall. | |
| (Irish) | Spirits | 30 | galls. |
| Irish whisky | 5 | „ | |
| Old ale | ½ | „ | |
| Creosote (dissolved in acetic acid) | 4 | drops. | |
| Pelargonic ether | 1 | oz. | |
The preparation met with in commerce under the name of “pelargonic ether” appears to be identical with oenanthic ether.
| Rum:— | |||
| Rectified spirits | 6 | quarts. | |
| Jamaica rum | 22 | „ | |
| Rum essence | 1½ | oz. | |
| Vanilla essence | 1⁄10 | „ | |
| Water | 2 | quarts. | |
| St. John’s bread | 1½ | oz. | |
| Raisins | 1½ | „ | |
| Proof spirits | 40 | galls. | |
| Rum essence | ½ | pint. | |
| Sugar colouring | ½ | „ | |
| Sugar syrup | 1 | quart. | |
“Rum essence” is composed of butyric ether, 15 parts; acetic ether, 2 parts; vanilla tincture, 2 parts; essence of violets, 2 parts; and alcohol, 90 parts.
| Gin:— | |||
| Corn spirits | 80 | galls. | |
| Oil of turpentine | 1 | pint. | |
| Oil of juniper | 8 | oz. | |
| Salt | 21 | lbs. | |
| Water | 35 | galls. | |
| Oil of caraway | ½ | oz. | |
| Oil of sweet fennel | ¼ | „ | |
| Cardamoms | 8 | „ | |
| Distil over, 100 galls. | |||
The chemical examination of distilled spirits is ordinarily limited to a determination of the alcohol, solid residue, ash, and volatile acids, coupled with special qualitative and quantitative tests for any particular adulterants, the presence of which may be suspected.