The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-01-28
sc DITCH WHISKY TO BE CHEAPER
The Growing Market For It In the
United States.
New York Sun


The importations of spirituous LIQUORS
from Great Britain for the last twelve
months covered by the official treasury
reports fell off 10 per cent compared
with the year preceding. The value of
I Importation Of spirits for the twelve
months preceding July 1, 1897, was
S911, 900. For the twelve months pre-
ceding July 1, 1893, it was $4,000 But
if recent reports are to be credited a
good deal of this decline will be offset
| by the increased impOrtations in the
present year, d consideration of i'm
rortance to hot whisky drinkers, es-
pecially those who drink hot whisky O.
evenings for precautionary medicinal
purposes.
The fact is well known that Scotch
and Irish WHISTLES. and Scotch more
particularly than Irish whisky perhaps
are best suited for hot drinks. The
proportion of alcohol in Scotch whisky
is a little larger than in Irish whisky,
the average for Scotch whisky being
543 of alcohol and Of Irish whisky 53.S.
1t appears that there has recently been
an inordinate supply in the Scotch mar
ket, and to some extent in the English
market, too, of Scotch whisky, and a
note of difficulty comes in trade circles
from one of the largest bonded ware
house companies in Leith. Its capital
is invested in Scotch whisky to the
amount of $50 000, 900. Last spring the
concern had 13S,G00O 600 gallons in the
hands of distillers and dealers, and this
| amount has since been increased.
Owing to the ~0mpetitiOn of produc-
ers without re 20 to consumption,
every inch of Stage room in Glasgow
! is occupied with whisky. The directors
of the Scotch company are making eff
forts to raise money. Meanwhile the $40
shares of the company have gone down
to SIS, and a continuance OF the pres
sure of competition between ~ Vari-
Gus concerns, it is thought, may lead TO
a further decline in consequence of the
fact that there appears to be no new
market for Scotch whisky which can
be utilized. The average consumption
! Of England and Scotland remains about
the same per capita. In Ireland, Irish
whisky is preferred; to the European
continent very little Scotch whisky is
! exported. There is no demand for it to
any material amount in European, Ash
attic, African or South American coun-
tries and in the Canadian market it
: completes with the Irish.
Under these circumstances an extra
supply, without commensurate and cor
responding increase in the demand
must either be sold at a concession OF
shipped to such a new market as the
/ United states IS thought TO or er.
/ Prior to 1880 the drinking of Scotch
whisky, except among Scotchmen
/ Scotch-Irishmen and Englishmen, was
considered a fad in the United States;
but today it is recognized as an article
of commerce destined to continue to
grow in favor. Most of the leading
| firms in Great Britain are represented
in this country, and they are, with their
! agents, working to make their brands
/ known to the consumers.
] The project, however, of making
] Scotch whisky very popular in the
! United States is attended with some
difficulty. The number of Scotchmen in
/ the country is not large. For all prac-
teal purposes Irish whisky is as good;
for some it is better The retail dealers
! in whisky are oftener Irishmen than
! Scotchmen, and comparatively little
! foreign made whisky, either Scotch OF
! Irish, is sold in summer time, limita-
! ton which does not apply to Ameri-
| can whisky, which is sold at all times
! of the year and in amounts to suit
/ sometimes more than is really indiS-
pensable in individual cases.
The prospect of a reduction in the
price Of Scotch whisky, however, may
! have a favorable effect upon the trade
in it, which has been increasing some
what as the excellent qualities OF
| Scotch whisky came to be known. But
| American whisky remains at the head
! in the general favor of VIII sky drinkers
| in the United States, and though it is
quite possible that there will be some
| change in the matter, there are no pres
! ent indications of a very sweeping one