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On Distillation and the Still (There is also mingled)

There is also mingled with the alcohol another ingredient which for some purposes it is desirable to remove. This is properly an ether, though it is called by some chemists and by most distillers an essential oil, which gives the peculiar flavor to the different kinds of spirit; one oil being produced from sugar and giving the flavor to rum; another from corn and giving the flavor to corn whiskey; another from rye and giving the flavor to rye whiskey-each kind of spirit deriving its flavor from its peculiar ether. It so happens that charcoal has the property of absorbing all of these ethers (the quantity of which bears a very small proportion to that of the spirits). and consequently they are eliminated by simply leaching the spirits through charcoal. This process is called rectifying. In practice, it is customary for distillers in the graingrowing regions of the West to manufacture an article called "high wines," which is alcohol mingled with considerable water and with ethers. This article is sold to refiners-located in New York and other places-who redistill it to separate it from a portion of the water, and leach it through charred bone-dust to eliminate the essential oil.

In distilling cordials, the object is to extract or separate the odorous and aromatic principle from the roots, flowers, seed, or spices used to impart the characteristic taste to the liquor, and it is usual to macerate such ingredients in strong alcohol several days before distillation. (See "Infusion, Maceration, and Digestion," page 28.) With respect to the practical part of distilling cordials, we shall observe that the heat should, in all cases, be as gentle and uniform as possible. Accidents may be effect