1895 Mixed Drinks by Herbert W Green

MATURING IN BOND.

The Wine Trade Review,one of the ablest journals of the British trade, gives the following interesting article on maturing of whiskies as viewed from the English standpoint: "In the usual waythe rate of maturation is governed, first, by the size of the bonding cask,the smaller ones presenting per liquid gallon a far greater maturing area than medium-sized or large casks; next, there is the mean temperature to which the spirits are exposed dur ing storage. This temperature undoubtedly varies for different classes of spirit, some thriving best upon a high mean temperature and others with a low one. Or it is found in other cases that an alternate rise and fall in the storage temperature is the readiest means for forcing maturation. The reason is that at low tempera tures the higher alcohols and less volatile secondary products tend to deposit themselves upon the wood. At higher temperatures these remain in solution, but at the same time the more volatile products of distilla tion tend to decompose themselves into simpler bodies, and impart thereby an agreeable ethereal bouquet and