1903 The Flowing Bowl by Edward Spencer

DRINKS ANCIENT AND MODERN 33

half an hour, then strain it out, and to every gallon of this liquor—ugh—put three pounds of honey ; boil it two hours, and scum it well, and when 'tis cold pour it off and tun it into a vessel, or such cask as is fit for it; keep it a year in the vessel, and then bottle it. 'Tis a very good sack. And the butler who would place this on my table would get a good sack, too. Mustard-and- water is cheaper and swifter. Canary and Rhenish were also drunk freely during the Elizabethan period — the English Sack recipe belongs to the Charles I. period— and long before that usquebaugh, or whisky in all its original sin, was in demand, although the Highlanders were no dabs at distillation until the sixteenth century. Usquebaugh, by the way, is derived from the old Gaelic Uisge-beatha^ " Water of Life," and under this name both Irish and Scotch whisky were originally known. But this simple water of life was not tasty enough for some palates, therefore vile men invented a special blend for the benefit of the wealthy, and those who had not much work to do next morning. To 7Hake Usquebaugh. To three gallons of brandy put four ounces of aniseeds bruised; the next day distil it in a cold still pasted up ; then scrape four ounces of licorice, and pound it in a mortar, dry it in an iron pan, do not burn it, put it in the bottle to your distill'd water, and let it stand ten days. Then take out the licorice, and to every six quarts of the_ spirits

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