1827 Wine and spirit adulterators unmasked

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they may be, and are applied, are quite sufficient to deter every fair dealer (if only for the sake of his credit), from resorting 1 to their aid, and to in- duce every purchaser, decidedly to discountenance their use. That, inferior Wines might be improved in vats, by being blended with good, if it was possible to prevent even their being adulterated, there can be but little doubt to those acquainted with the nature of Wines in general; but, alas! no one except our modern adulterators themselves, and the very bung-holes of their vats, are acquainted with the nature of all the different articles of which the latter are made the receptacles. Brandy and Hum Cowe, (the rinsings of the puncheons as soon as the Spirit is taken from them,) slops of all descrip- tions, Cape Wine, Cyder, Colouring, Sal Tartar, with any thing else, which is, or is thought to be, capable of forming a tolerable basis, or in any other way useful in manufacturing a resemblance of the particular denomination of Wine, intended to be sold, are occasionally mixed together in their capacious bodies, and discharged again as ge- nuine Port or Sherry, according to whichever Wine, the contents of the vat, have been made up to represent. On applying to a cheap Wine vender, possessed of such highly advantageous and necessary utensils, the first thing of which he speaks, is the wonder- ful extent to which his Wines, although originally F 2