“AN EXCISEMAN, ONE ROBERT BURNS," ON WHISKY.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XL, Issue 19, 6 May 1908, Page 43

“AN EXCISEMAN, ONE ROBERT BURNS," ON WHISKY.

Royal Commissions are usually sadly dull affairs, but the Public Analyst of th • City of London, Dr. Teed, succeeded in livening up the Royal Commission on Whisky very effectually this week, in his capacity as an expert witness He summoned no less an authority than Scotland's national poet, “Robbie” Burns, in corroboration of his views on the vexed question “What is Whisky?" He was acquainted, he said, with a poem written by “an exciseman, one Robert Burns," on Scotch drink. The following colloquy ensued: Dr. Brown: Do you think that has a bearing on our inquiry?- Yds. I do. You wish to get the quotations I see in your “proof" on the notes of evidence?—Yes. Then perhaps you will recite th on or read them?—l am not quit:- rue about the pronunciation, not being a Scotsman. (Laughter.) “Is there a Scotsman present?" ask • I the witness. There was no response, though one in the.affirmathe might have been expected where whisky was being discussed. As a matter of fact there

worn several Scots present, but none offered his services.

Witness, still expressing bis doubts as to his ability to read Burns with pio|>ei effect, said the poem referred to “barley,” “malt,” “stills,” and “whisky.” The Chairman: Is it relevant to what we are discussing? Dr. Teed: 1 think so, my lord. The Chairman; Then please read them. Never mind the pronunciation. Dr. Teed then read the extracts as follows: I sing the juice Scots bear can ma- ns In glass or jug. " By bear,” said witness, *'l am informed barley is meant.” O thou niy Muse, gnid auld Scotch drink Whether thro’ wimpffug worms thou jink, Or richly brown, ream o’er the brink In glorious faem. “Wimping worms” evidently refers to the condensing worms used in distilleries. Let husky wheat the haughs adorn, An' aits set up their awnie horn. An' pease ami beans at e'en or morn Perfume the plain. Leezc me on thee, John Barleycorn, Thou king of grain. This emphasises the employment of barley. Out owre a glass o' whisky punch, Wi’ honest men. Then again: O Whisky: soul Of plays and pranks! In the 20th verse the poet refers to Time curst horse-leeches o' th’ Excise, ’Wha mak’ the whisky Stella tlieir prize! Then he says: Fortune! if thou’ll but gio me still Hale breeks, a scone, au’ whisky gill. The whole of these quotations taken together show that Scotch drink was distilled from barley, and was known as “whisky”! The stills must have been pot stills, as no others were known at that flay. That the barley was malted before

use, added Dr. Teed, is brought out in the ballad of “John Barleycorn,” by the same author. In this ballad the life history of barley is given, and harvesting, threshing, malting, and also grinding of malt is described. In a subsequent verse it is indicated that the foregoing processes were for the purpose of producing intoxicating drink.

There was no evidence that he had come across, said witness, to show how or when, if ever, the term “whisky” was permitted to be applied to patent still products. Why it was applied was only too obvious—it was on account of its cheaper price. Many of the witnesses before the Select Committee took the view that whisky must be a pot-still product. He had never been able to detect any whisky flavour in patent-still spirit, whether made in Scotland or Ireland. It was impossible to obtain from a patent-still a spirit having cither the chemical composition or the qualities of an Irish or Scotch whisky. Dr. Teed then produced various samples of spirits, including Scotch and Irish malt whiskies and plain patent spirit. These were arrayed in front of the chairman until his table resembled a sample counter in a spirit store

A waiter brought a tray full of wine glasses, and the chairman, with the assistance of the other commissioners, proceeded to pour out samples of Scotch and Irish whisky and patent spirit. These were suitably diluted with water, and were smelt and tasted by the chairman and his fellow commissioners. After the chairman had critically examined the patent spirit, he passed the glass to Dr. Teed, and askdd:

Would that be recognised as whisky at all, by anybody?

Dr. Teed: I should not like to recognise it as whisky myself. At the end of the sampling the witness asked: “Shall I leave the samples with the commissioners in case they might like to investigate them further?” The Chairman: Certainly not. (Laugh, ter.)

Apparently the chairman feared that his fellow-commissioners would not be so particular as tjje analyst about tlie quality of the whisky. _ *’