The  constituents  of  pure  brandy  are  alcohol
and  water,  together  with  small  quantities  of
a  volatile  oil,  acetic  acid,  acetic  ether,  oenan-
thic  ether,  colouring  matter,  and  tannin.  It
is  from  the  presence  of  the  two  ethers  that  the
spirit  derives  its  characteristic  smell  and  fla-
vour. The  amount  of  absolute  alcohol  in
brandy  varies  from  45  to  55  per  cent.  When
first  imported  it  is  generally  1  or  2  over-proof,
but  its  strength  decreases  by  age,  and  by  the
time  it  is  taken  from  the  bonded  store  for
sale,  it  is  seldom  stronger  than  3  or  4  under-
proof.   Pure  brandies  of  the  best  quality,  even

VOL.   I.
when  new,  seldom  exceed  proof,  and  are  gene-
rally a  little  below  it.  The  reason  of  this  is
that  they  are  but  slightly  rectified,  as  redistil-
lation tends  to  injure  the  ethereal  oils,  upon
which  the  flavour  of  the  brandy  depends.
The  quality  and  flavour  of  the  brandy  im-
ported from  France  vary,  and  often  consider-
ably, from  that  which  is  drunk  at  the  best
tables  on  the  Continent;  this  principally  arises
from  it  being  prepared,  or,  as  it  is  technically
termed,  '  made  up,'  for  the  London  market ;
which  means  lowering  it  by  the  addition  of
plain  spirit,  colouring,  &c.  This  is  done  to
any  extent  desired  by  the  English  purchaser,
and  the  quantity  and  prices  of  the  substances
so  added  are  regularly  set  out  in  the  invoice.
