s the alcohol
from the water and foreign matters contained in the liquor. Put any
quantity of brandy, rum, or malt spirit diluted with about one-fourth
its bulk of water, into a retort fitted to a capacious receiver, and
distil with a gentle heat. The strongest spirit distils over first into
the receiver, and the strength of the obtained products decreases, till
at last it contains so much water as no longer to be inflammable by the
approach of a lighted taper, when held in a spoon over a candle (see p.
160.) If the process be continued, the distilled product becomes milky,
scarcely spiritous to the smell, and of an acidulous taste. The
distilling operation may then be discontinued. If the first, fourth or
third part of the distilled product has been set apart, it will be
found a moderately strong alcohol, and the remainder one more diluted.
If the whole distilled spirit be mixed with perfectly dry subcarbonate
of potash, the alcohol will float at the top of the potash, as stated,
p. 161; it will separate into two distinct fluids. If the decanted
alcohol be redistilled carefully with a very gentle heat, over a small
portion of dry quick lime, or muriate of lime, it will be obtained
extremely pure, and of a specific gravity of about 825, at 60 deg. of
temperature. Its flavour will vary according to the kind of spiritous
liquor from which it is obtained.

_Table exhibiting the Per Centage of Alcohol (of 825 specific gravity)
contained in various kinds of spiritous Liquors._[101]

Proportion of
Alcohol per Cent.
by Measure.

Brandy, Cogniac, average proportion of 4 samples 52,75
Ditto, Bourdeaux, ditto ditto 54,50
Ditto, Cette 53,00
Ditto, Naples, average of 3 samples 53,25
Ditto, Spanish average of 6 samples 52,28
Rum 53,68
Ditto, Leeward, average of 9 samples 53,00
Scotch Whiskey, average of 6 samples 53,50
Irish Ditto, average of 4 samples 54,25
Arrack, Batavia 49,50
Dutch Geneva