New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-04-11
WHTSKEY LABEL ORDER.
MUST SHOW MIXTURES.
Blends, Compounds and limitations
Recognized.

ion of Attorney General Bonaparte concerning the
proper labelling OF whiskey under the Pure Food
law made public at the White House to-day.
Its purport is briefly in the following letter.
addressed by the President to the Secretary Of
Agriculture:
My Dear Mr.. Secretary: IN accordance With your
the proper labelling vhis!;cy under the Pure
Food law TO the Department OF Justice inci3 lose
opinion and direct thar acton be taken in &C
Straight whiskey will be labelled IS such.
mixture of two or more straight WHISTLES VIII
mixture of straight whiskey aid ethyl alec.
nTl; PL1Ttge SSat 'eTe = Sns nixture
will be labelled as compound. or compromised with
Imitation whiskey will be labelled as such;
Sincerely yours, THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
The Attorney Generals opinion to the proper
construction to be placed on the law has been
awaited with great interest by dstillers and Tecti
ners all the country Before the question was
sent to the Department OF Justice it thorough
~ investigated by the Department Of Agriculture
The questions at issue in connection with
the labelling branding OF the different kinds OF
spirits said by their manufacturers pgoprie-
tors be entitled to the name Of ''whiskey,
with without qualifying words. After discuss
ing the primary purpose II the Pure Food law"
the Attorney General says;
First-Under what circumstances should dis
titled spirit be labelled or branded "whtskey' with
cut any qualifying words:
liquid be marked blend OF whiskeys'' or blend
Third-Under what circumstances should a liquid
be marked as a compound Of whisSey' or COM
any, must be added to such title to make the same
appropriate under the law
could q distilled spirit with additions Of coloring
whiskey''?
BLENDS AND COMPOUNDS.
Referring 70 sherry. port, and Madeira, whose
havors he says distinct from each other. he
points there is an evident distinction to be
1ray1 hafu-
would doubtless be descrbed @ "a eSmp SaaP@f fo
consists essentially Of wine. Of sugar and OF
ta1nIs a% hoWever In my opinion does not con-
blend .coT1D am SIuCie ., sn3ntd De marked as
ignation would be otherwise false or misleading
indicate to any would-be purchaser Who was ordi-
acfay sweatened and se g ldiophGG wine art
a composite substance
Compound" and blend are substantially, syn
onymous, the Attorney General says when applied
to mixtures OF liquids in ordinary speech but the
Pure Food law establishes a distinction between
them based upon the character of the ingredients
He adds:
II Is my opinion that effect will be most surely
Jaw u 70 me EVIDENT intent Of this provision OF the
blended, as an adjective can be properly and
1906 only When Single or T9ds eS ss aS Sf
sey ard or II the plural need follow to ePproPr
mus we can speak OF blend OF teas or a
fee :. It Is the intent of the ac, Of 1875 that
the term blended sherry or blend OF sherry
two kinds of sherry: white the titles Com
and sherry would approprnteIv o0lHdsd r P2T
IRE Of two unlike substances in the view Of the
law namely. two distinct and different kinds OF
wine unlike just as diamonds and coal are ''un-
properly designated as hi5hey With tn an sPt
spltLt which, stanq.ng alone would NOT be properly
must be labelled or branded as a "coTpound'' or
compounded
The Attorney General declares that according to
the true intent OF the Pure Food law a mixture OF
whiskey with a neutral spirit must be deemed a
compound and not blend" although the spirit
may be distilate from tho substance used o
furnish the whiskey. and that such mixture
stands the same footing as a mixture Of whiskey
and brandy or Of whiskey and rum. The definition
OF whisky he says. "as natural spirit. IN
wolves its coroaTy that there can be such a
thing Imitation whiskey.' II the process
were followed OF which spoke IN connection
with artificial wine namely, ~ ethyl alcohol. either
pure or mixed with distilled water. given. by
the addition OF harmless coorng and favorinE sub
stances the appearance and flavor OF whiskey, it
r. impossible md any other for the product
in conformity with the Pure Food law than 1mta-
ton whiskeys.'"
IMITATION wHIsKETs.
The Attorney General says the most difficult,
question was whether a mixture OF liquid such
has been described. indeed mixture Of
ethyl alcohol itself with whiskey. ought TO be
labelled whiskey at all" lie continues:
When the words compound or "coHpounded''
I'm the act. II is. In my Judgment, ordinarily
necessary that two substances at least should be
mentioned entering into the combination do
scribed In other words. it would not be accurate
10 call a mixture of port ana sherry Compounded
sherry" compounded port; such mixture
port port compounded with sherry com
pound OF port and sherry AS above stated. this
would be- to say the least. less true II imitation
sherry We're used 10 mix with genuine sherry,
and first sight IL would seem that the same
reasoning would deny the name whiSk5y' to .
whether with or without colOrtDg and navOTing
tween the two cases and II Is not universally true
that two substaDtlves must follow compound or
that only one substantive can appropriately follow
blend blended"
for the composite wine known by that II
"A natural wine existed which and
payne" a mixture OF the two might be- I think
appropriately called compound" or Compounded
I conclude that a combination OF whiskey with
ethyl alcohol, supposing. Of course that there IS
and not the mere sGm6lanSe OF one; may be fairly
called Whiskey. proEided Ine name is accom-
pounded and provided q statement of the pres
enco of another spirit is included in substance in
The following seem TO me appropriate specimen
mixture two or more straight whlskeys Isl
mixture Of straight whskey and ethyl alcohol
taste smell and look like whiskey:
Cl Semper idem whiskey: \ pure straight
129 f puribus unum Whskey: blend Of pure.
straight whiskeys with all the merits Of each.
go Modern improved whiskey: a compound OF
pure grain distlates, mellow and free from harm
"a Something better than whiskey: An imita-
tion under the Pure Food law, free from fusel oil
In the third specimen II is assumed that both
grain
WANTS AM vcvv nC pTHrrc TpChrv