PURE FOOD LEGISLATION 61 



Application of the Law to Whiskies 



The pure food issue covers, and should cover, all substances in- 

 tended for human consumption, and the fact that any subject covered 

 in the issue is difficult and unpleasant is the more reason why it should 

 be included. 



Whiskey is ethyl alcohol and natural flavor. Brandy is ethyl 

 alcohol and natural flavor. The difference is the difference in flavor. 

 The flavor of genuine whiskey comes from the grain, secondary 

 products — fusel oil — distilled over with the ethyl alcohol and ripened 

 into the flavors of ' rye ' and ' Bourbon ' whiskey. The new whiskey 

 with its unripened secondary products is like the green peach, unfit for 

 consumption. The quality of the flavor of whiskey depends upon the 

 quality of fusel oil and the method and period of aging. The quality 

 of the fusel oil depends upon the quality of the grain and water used, 

 the preparation of the mash and the methods of heating and distilling. 

 The new product is ripened by putting into charred oak barrels and 

 storing these barrels in warehouses. These warehouses are under the 

 lock of government officials, primarily to see that none of the product 

 is taken away until the tax is paid. Whiskies may be taken out of this 

 warehouse at once, or they may be permitted to remain for a period 

 of eight years before the government collects the tax and ceases its 

 control. Most of the whiskey, however, is tax-paid and removed 

 from bond before it is three years old. The rectifier or blender claims 

 that he has a process for producing palatable whiskey without the ex- 

 pense and delay of the barrel-aging process. The rectifier, however, 

 colors, beads and labels his product in imitation of the aged whiskey. 

 If the process has the merit which is claimed for it, there should be 

 no injustice and all advantage in a law requiring rectified whiskey to be 

 labeled for what it is. 



When the tax is paid on distilled spirits the government puts a 

 stamp on the product to show this fact. Formerly these stamps were 

 only put on barrels. Consumers do not buy the product by the barrel, 

 and so in 1896, following the investigation of the whiskey trust and 

 the adulteration of whiskies, congress passed an act permitting a tax- 

 paid certificate stamp to be put over the corks of bottles. Whiskey to 

 be so bottled must have remained in the bonded warehouse at least four 

 years, and must be bottled without the addition of any substance except 

 distilled water to reduce it to one hundred proof. This law is optional. 

 The four-year period of aging which it requires should be made com- 

 pulsory for all whiskey. 



Xo such supervision is exercised, on the contrary, over the business 

 or product of rectifying. In fact, the rectifier or blender holds a gov- 

 ernment license to e spuriously imitate ' as he pleases, and a law is 

 needed to restrain the adulteration which it is possible to practise. 

 The natural flavor in genuine whiskey and the government tax are the 



