ALCOHOL. —Potteen Whisky. 103

Potteen Whisky .—This far-famed spirit was sometime ago more extensively manufactured than atpresent. It seems to be more than ever prized onaccount of its scarcity, and bears a high price. Thesingular flavour of the Irish spirit is supposed to becaused by using turf to dry the malt. Donovandescribes a potteen distillery he inspected in thesouth of Ireland . It was a place renowned for pro-ducing good whisky. The distillery was a smallthatched cabin; there was a large turf fire kindled atone end, and confined by a semicircle of large stones,upon which a 40-gallon tin vessel, serving the two-fold purpose of a water-heater and a still body, wasresting. An orifice in the roof, immediately over thefire, served as a chimney for the escape of the smokeafter it had. traversed the apartment.

The mash tun was a cask hooped with wood, at theunder part of which, next the chimb, was an openingplugged with tow. This vessel had no false bottom;in place of it young heath was strewn, and over thisa stratum of oat-husks. Here the mash of hot waterand ground malt was occasionally mixed up for twohours; after which time the vent at the bottom wasopened, and the worts were allowed to filter throughthe layers of oat-husks and heath. Mashing with hotwater on the same grains was then repeated, and theworts were again withdrawn. The two worts beingmixed in another cask, some yeast was added, andthe fermentation allowed to proceed until it fell• spontaneously, which happened in about three days.It was now ready for distillation, and was transferredinto the tin boiler, which was capable of distilling acharge of 40 gallons. A piece of soap, weighingabout 2 ounces, was then thrown in to prevent itsrunning foul; and the head, a large tin pot with atube in its side, was inverted upon the rim of thebody, and luted with a paste made of oatmeal andwater. The lateral tube was then luted into theworm, which was of copper of inch bore, coiled ina barrel for a flake-stand. The tail of the worm,where it emerged from the barrel, was caulked withtow. The wash speedily came to the boil, and thenwater was thrown on the Are; for at this period isthe chief danger of boiling over. The spirit almostimmediately distilled; it was perfectly clear ; and byits bead, this first running was inferred to be proof.Its flavour was really excellent; and it might wellhave passed for a spirit three months old. As soonas the upper stratum of water in the flake-standbecame warm, a large pailful of cold water from anadjoining stream was dashed in with sufficient forceto make the hot water run over, it being lighter; andthis cooling process was continually resorted to. Inthis way the singlings were drawn off in about twohours, and those from four distillations made onecharge of the still to produce the potteen.

The malt was prepared by inclosing the barley ina sack, and soaking it for. some time in bog water,which is deemed the best; then withdrawing anddraining it for some time, after which it is made togerminate in the ordinary way. When it has grownsufficiently, it is convoyed in a sack to the kiln.Besides the much-valued flavour of potteen, it derives

a part of its character from being distilled entirelyfrom malt. Frequently, however, about one-fourthof raw corn is added. From a bushel of this mixedgrist the potteen maker obtains a gallon of spirit, ofwhat he call three-to-one; or three glasses of spiritmixed with one glass of water afford proof spirit.This is, according to calculation, much below theproduce that ought to be obtained.

The body of the still cost £1, its head 4s., the wormcost £1 os., the mash tun and flake-stand, 12s.; £3was, therefore, the value of the whole distillery. Some-times, however, they are constructed on a more ex-tensive scale. It is very doubtful whether the aromadepends on the turf smoke, for it is stated that thespirit has the same taste and odour when coal isburned under the kiln. It is possible that the turfsmoke may be absorbed by the spirit, for it is wellknown that there is a period of the alcoholic fermen-tation at which odours are apt to be retained. Thepeculiar flavour more probably arises from the bogwater in which the malt is steeped. When dried inthe kiln aftdr steeping, the heat is often sufficient tochar the bog extract remaining in the malt; conse-quently, this would communicate an agreeable smokyaroma to the spirit.

From a want of scientific knowledge and properutensils, illicit distillers conduct their business in adifferent manner from that pursued by licensedtraders. In preparing the malt, the sacks of barleyare generally steeped in bog-holes or other places,where they remain forty-eight hours, or until com-pletely saturated with the water. They are thendrawn out and drained for ten or twelve hours.After this the grain is spread out upon the floor in athick layer, and remains so till it begins to chip orgerminate; it is turned occasionally, until all appearsalike sprouted. It is afterwards spread by degrees,till such time as the buds show three points, andwhen these points have grown half way down thegrains, by means of a regular iieat, the particles aresemi-transparent. At this stage it is spread thickeron the floor, and brought to a heat easily perceptibleto the hand, then thrown into a round heap, andsuffered to remain in that state for twenty-four hours,or longer; the latter is termed the rot or witheringheap. It is then carried to the kiln and dried byturf; the kiln-head on which it is dried is coveredwith decayed straw, over which, if convenient, isplaced haircloth or matting. The period of drying akiln-head or crop, as it is termed, is commonly twenty-four hours, when directed by a person of experience.The grain, while on the kiln, is carefully turned, toexpose every particle to the same heat, and to prepareit for coarse grinding. It is next taken to the still-house, which is usually a hovel or excavation near arunning stream, or where there is a full supply ofwater. The quantity of malt to be brewed is com-monly from 16 to 17 stones; after being bruised ormashed in the ordinary way, it is covered in the kilnwith a lid or sacks, and suffered to repose for throeor four hours. The worts are then drawn off, andcooled to a temperature regulated by the finger, noinstrument being used for that purpose, and com-