Grammes in
100 Litres.

Normal propyl alcohol 40.0
Normal butyl alcohol 218.6
Amyl alcohol 83.8
Hexyl alcohol 0.6
Heptyl alcohol 1.5
Ethyl acetate 35.0
Ethyl propionate, butyrate and caproate 3.0
Oenanthic ether (about) 4.0
Aldehyde 3.0
Acetal traces
Amines traces

Most of the above substances, in fact probably all of them, excepting
the oenanthic ether, are contained in other spirits, such as whisky and
rum. The oenanthic ether (ethyl pelargonate) is one of the main
characteristics which enable us chemically to differentiate between
brandy and other distilled liquors. Brandy also contains a certain
quantity of free acid, which increases with age, furfural, which
decreases, and small quantities of other matters of which we have as yet
little knowledge.

The table gives analyses, by the present author (excepting No. 3, which
is by F. Lusson), of undoubtedly genuine commercial cognac brandies of
various ages.

_Storage and Maturation._--Brandy is stored in specially selected oak
casks, from which it extracts a certain quantity of colouring matter and
tannin, &c. Commercial cognac brandies are generally blends of different
growths and vintages, the blending being accomplished in large vats some
little time prior to bottling. The necessary colouring and sweetening
matter is added in the vat. In the case of pale brandies very little
colouring and sweetening are added, the usual quantity being in the
neighbourhood of 1/2 to 1%. Old "brown brandies," which are nowadays not
in great demand, require more caramel and sugar than do the pale
varieties. The preparation of the "liqueur," as the mixed caramel and
sugar syrup is termed, is an operation requiring much experience, and
the methods employed are kept strictly secret. Fine "liqueur" is
prepared with high-class brandy, and is stored a number of years prior
to use. Brandy, as is well known, improves very much with age (for
chemical aspects of maturation see SPIRITS), but this only holds good
when the spirit is in _wood_, for there is no material appreciation in
quality after bottling. It is a mistake to be