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102
Rum.—Rum has until recently been defined to be a spirit obtained
by the distillation of the fermented juice of the sugar cane or molasses
in a pot still, and genuine Jamaica rum has the characteristics of such
a spirit, but in Demerara and other places the pot still is said to have
been replaced by the patent still, a very different article being
produced. In Jamaica rum the esters, one of the secondary products
which determine the character of the spirit, rarely fall below 400
parts per 100,000 of absolute alcohol and are frequently far higher,
whereas in the Demerara or patent still product they are much less, a
fact which was successfully pleaded on behalf of the defendant in a
recent case. It is obvious that the addition of patent still spirit to
Jamaica rum would produce a mixture similar to Demerara rum. In
the five samples analysed the esters in each case were far below what
might have been expected in the Jamaica article, but as they were
purchased as " rum," and may possibly be Demerara rum, I have not
certified them as containing patent still spirit, although some must
certainly be regarded as doubtful. Two of the samples were below
the limit of spirit strength (25 degrees under proof).
Brandy.—Brandy is a spirit obtained from wine (the fermented
juice of the grape) distilled in a pot still, and should contain at least
80 parts of esters per 100,000 of absolute alcohol. From the results
obtained it will be noted that in no instance was the quantity
of esters up to the standard. In one case the deficiency was
so slight as to be negligible, but the spirit strength had been
reduced far below the legal limit (25 degrees under proof). In the
other samples there had been an undoubted addition of plain spirit, or
the spirit had been made in some other way than that in which brandy
should have been produced.
Whisky.—Whisky consists of spirit derived from malted barley or
a mixture of malted and unmalted barley or wheat distilled in a pot
still. A spirit produced in this way contains at least 380 parts
(coefficient of impurity) of those secondary bodies per 100,000of absolute
alcohol which impart to genuine whisky its peculiar characteristics.
Of the five samples examined only one exceeded this figure, the others
being far below. There is no doubt that all these contained a large
proportion of plain spirit, some being practically plain spirit flavoured.
In one case the spirit strength was 46 degrees below proof.
At the present time there is little doubt that the great majority
of the public imagine whisky to be a product derived from malt.
brandy from wine, and rum from the juice of the sugar cane, and when
they ask for either of them they expect to receive liquids so obtained,
and they certainly ought not to get a mixture containing plain spirit
or one having similar characteristics. If either is blended with plain
spirit or has not been prepared in the proper manner, then the
purchaser should have an opportunity of rejecting it. There is no
reason why mixtures may not be sold provided they are adequately
labelled and the purchaser thoroughly understands the exact nature
of the article the vendor proposes to supply.