The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-10-31
MANY OPINIONS
 ABOUT WH|SKEY
Judge Hoyt, as Adnlinis= trator Hears Much, But
 Learns Nothing New
BY FREDERICK c. OTHMAN nJnited PresS Staff COrrespOndent)

BY FREDERICK c. OTHMAN United Preso Staff Correspondent)
 Washington, Oct. 31.-(UP).-i Judge Franklin c. Hoyt, who | drinks only sherry himself, learned today all there was to know about | liquor-which wasn't much-be- cause everybody disagreed.
 The experts couldn't even tell the judge what whiskey is. That was disconcerting because Judge Hoyt, as alcohol. administrator, had call- ed the nations liquor leaders to- gether to discuss his proposed reg ulations for their industry.
 The men who knew about such things made speeches about Jap- anese Scotch whiskey, the mystery of chartreuse, the source of pure rye, and the fact that 100-year-old cognac isn't much good, but they couldn't get together on a definition for straight whiskey. Would Age All Whiskey
 The judges proposals would force distillers to age their whiskey for year or so before selling it as straight. Dr. James M. Doran of the Distillers' Institute, said he thought it ought to be aged in new charred oak kegs before 1t could be so- called. Harry Lowry of the Import CTS pointed out that the Scotch make some pretty fine whiskey by ageing it in old sherry casks. There- upon Mortimer Gordon of the Rec- tifiers observed that he had tasted plenty of Sevefi-year-old whiskey which wasn't fit to drink. The judge lit another cigarette on that and scowled behind his specs. By dint of patient listening he extract- ed the following nuggets of infor- nation from the witnesses: The older oognac becomes the weaker it gets. A lot of 100-year-old cognac shipped to the United States isn't that old. Cognac usually goes fiat after being aged 80 years.
 Sold As Cordial
 Cherry herring isn't fish. It is cordial in the United States, but everywhere else in the world it is brandy. Chartreuse contains about 400 different ingredients, but mo- body knows what they are. The monks who make 1t aren't much worried abou. the alcohol adminis- tration and won't tell. Scotch whjskies made in the United States are dressed up in such fancy bot ties, with so many tartans and plaids, that they out-Scotch the Scotch. Practically every Scotch r,I, iclraxy cold it, thtc cn,,y,frxy ic a blend of 25 or so kinds of malt and grain whiskies. An opportunist in Tokyo began the manufacture of Japanese Scotch whiskey, but the 1vernment made him quit. No chemical analysis can tell how any whiskey is going to taste. Canadian whiskey is a sister of American, with a slightly lighter body. Cordial Mixers
 Some cordial makers mix up their fancy drinks in a vat, using the same methods made famous by the producers of bath tub gin. They said the cold mix method is the only way to make liqueurs. Their oppo- sition percolates cordials like housewife does coffee. This process takes 45 days and is expensive. Few American distillers of whiskey now are bottling less than six months old. Unless whiskey is good in the first place, no amount of ageing will ma,.e 1t any better. Judge Hoyt used up nearly a whole package of cigarettes listening to this. Then he called another hearing. There was more to be said about whiskey, what 1t is, and more particularly, what it isn't.