AN AMERICAN OFFICIAL ON THE PRODUCTION OF WHISKY.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIV, Issue 834, 1 March 1906, Page 25

AN AMERICAN OFFICIAL ON THE PRODUCTION OF WHISKY.

Dr. Wiley, the chief of the United States Bureau of Chemistry, recently visited Scotland. on the instructions of the United States Secretary of Agriculture, to study Scotch whisky and its production on the spot, and he has now presented a report, which contains the following:— The methods of distilling whisky in Scotland were carefully studied. Scotch whisky is made exclusively from barley malt. There are four great divisions of distilleries —namely, Lowland, Highland, Campbelltown and Islay. The malt is prepared always in the distillery, and is dried over open peat-fires. The empyreumatic jyapours from the peat are absorbed by the malt, and when finally, after fermentation, the products are submitted to distillation, the volatile empyreumatic odours come over with the whisky, giving the well-known smoky taste which is characteristic of the Scotch whiskies. The

distillers rarely ship to the United States. The whole of the product is practically taken by the so-called blenders. By them if is mixed with what is known as “grain” or “silent” spirit, distilled in Great Britain from Indian corn imported from, the United States. The product is a highly rectified alcohol or “silent” spirit, of about 94 per cent, of alcohol by volume. This spirit is mixed in all proportions with the genuine Scotch whisky, both for consumption in Great Britain and for export to the United States. In some cases only small quantities—say, 20 per cent, of grain spirits—are used, while in other cases as high as 80 per cent, are employed. The blend or mixed product therefore is not pure Scotch whisky, but Scotch whisky mixed with grain or silent spirit.

After dealing at some length with the warehouse regulations, Dr. Wiley proceeds. Briefly summarised, the present condition of the trade seems to be as follows :—

1. Practically all the pure-malt whisky made in Scotland, except that of local consumption, is sold to the so-called blenders. It is mixed with varying proportions of silent spirits, coloured if desired, and reduced by water to an alcoholic strength of about 45 per cent, by volume. It is generally labelled as if it were unmixed malt or Scotch whisky. The average age of the malt whisky when blended appears to be about five years, although there is no prohibition of the blending of young spirits. After blending it is stored for seme time, usually a year, in order for the marriage to be complete. 2. These whiskies are bottled in a blending or bottling warehouse in harmony with the regulations governing domestic consumption. Only such goods are really admissible in our ports.

3. The mixing and compounding may also be done in warehouses specially provided for ex port work. Such goods under our law are inadmissible to the United States, because forbidden to domestic consumption. 4. Irish whiskies are often prepared for export without any manipulation, except colouring and reducing with water to about 45 per cent, by volume. There are, however, bottling warehouses where Irish

■ w :> cu.ii <,, in the same way as Sconh. sln the pres -i.ue of the regulations • ' is not po.ssib.'e . . get a certificate from the Excise Office officials of the character v the manipulai on to which the spirits have been subjected. In regard to. labels on bottles, the British regulations gi-e the merchant a free hand. He may use any form of label or statement he likes, except that he must not ascribe any responsibility to the Inland Revenue.

Paragraph 389 reads : “Officers are not t interfere with labels used on bottles or cases filled or made up in bond, beyond seeing that no label or inscription contains such expression as ‘Bottled in bond,’ ‘ Bottled in Customs (or Excise) . warehouse,’ or any other indication implying official countenance or guarantee of the correctness of the statements made.” In other words, any misstatements the bottler wishes to make are to go unchallenged ; but if he wishes to tell the truth —namely, that the spirits were bottled in bond under the supervision of an officer of the Revenue—he is forbidden to do so. When one carefully studies the character of the labels affixed to these packages, bottled under the supervision of the Excise officers, he easily understands why it is the British Government refuses to be held responsible therefor.—‘‘The British Trade Review.”