1868 The complete Practical Distiller

SPECIAL DISTILLATIONS.

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potato distillery in a country where a good quality of brandy is consumed, it would be useful to proceed in such a way as to give to the product the least taste of those vegetables possible; the object of working in this way would not be to identify the new liquor with that which is known and preferred, but it would, at least, be making a great step toward it. The experience of the Parisian distillers is an instance of this case. In countries where large quantities of corn and potato spirits are distilled, some sort of essential oil is always incorporated with the liquor, which masks, if not the tastes, at least the peculiar flavours which the fruits and the various processes of distillation give to the produce. The essential oil which is most generally used is that of juniper-berries ; it is mixed in the still with the low wines in smaller or larger proportions, according as the spirituous product is to have a weaker or stronger taste of it. This causes the corn spirit, of which so large a quantity is consumed in Belgium and in the North of France, to be called by the name of *^ geneva:'' this name is given to the spirit even when it does not possess any aromatic flavour whatever. Instead of the juniper-berry, they often use other odorous substances, such as aniseed, wild oranges, &c., which are mixed with the low wines in the last rectification. Similar means would thus contribute to give less utility to the various operations tending to improve the quality of the spirits. The distillation of grain and of potatoes is often combined with the feeding of cattle ; and if, iu