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133
arbitrary restrictions being imposed upon traders. It is true they have
expressed the opinion that whisky should be defined as "a spirit obtained by
distillation from a mash of cereal grains saccharified by the diastase of malt,"
and would therefore prohibit any spirit prepared from potatoes, beet, or
molasses from being sold as whisky, but there must be a general feeling of
disappointment that the Commission have not seen their way to advocate
some measures to prevent the sale of unmatured spirit. A perusal of an
abstract given in the Report of the medical evidence placed before the
Commission confirms this view. Thus on page 18 it is stated that:—
"Most of the medical witnesses recommended that the spirits used in
"the treatment of disease should be of good quality and old. Some
"considered that pot-still whisky was preferable for this purpose to the
"patent-still variety, as they considered that more powerful medicinal
"properties were possessed by it owing to the larger percentage of
"secondary products. The majority of medical witnesses attached no
"importance to the question whether the whisky were pot or patent-still,
"and considered that the value of it in the treatment of disease depended
"essentially on the ethylic alcohol. This view was held by the majority
"of observers who had directed their attention to the subject, and some
"adduced definite evidence in support of the statement that no difference
"in the results obtained could be attributed to the mode of preparation
"of the whisky. We concur in this view."
Further, the Report says:—
"With regard to the dietetic use of whiskies, all the medical witnesses
"were agreed that flavour plays a part of considerable importance, since
"a whisky that is unpalatable tends to interfere with digestion, while a
"whisky that is agreeable to the patient may increase the activity of the
"digestive processes, and also exert a favourable mental effect quite
"apart from the direct effect dependent on the alcohol itself. On this
"account they held not only that a mature whisky is preferable to a new
"whisky, but also that whiskies of different flavours may have a
"particular dietetic value in particular instances."
With regard to the vexed question of the "Battle of the Stills," the
Report states that the Commission received no evidence to show that the
form of still has any necessary relation to the wholesomeness of the spirit
produced.
BRANDY.
With regard to this spirit the Commission came to the conclusion that the
term "brandy" is applicable to a potable spirit manufactured from fermented
grape juice, and from no other materials.