In the United States of America the term proof has both a technical and commercial meaning. The proof strength of spirit, therefore, is specified by law and can be used only under certain conditions.
Spirit distilled at over 190 degrees proof is required to be labelled "grain neutral spirit." Spirit distilled at from 16o to 190 degrees proof can be labelled "other whisky" but cannot be iden tified by the term "whisky" alone. Spirit distilled at under 16o degrees proof can be labelled "whisky" but must be identified in accordance with the grain from which it is distilled.
The origin of the practice of distillation is lost in antiquity. Olympiodorus, in a commentary on the second book of Aristotle's Meteors, states that sailors boiled the sea water and suspended large sponges from the mouth of a brazen vessel in order to imbibe the "sweet water" which is evaporated. Ac cording to Fairley the Chinese distilled liquor; Sautchoo was known long before the Christian era and arrack was made in India as early as Boo B.C. According to this and other evidence accumulated from ancient literature there is little doubt that spirits were manufactured in the East many centuries before Christ. It appears to be well established that about the end of the fourth century A.D. Zosimus described an apparatus for dis tilling, whilst Geber, who is said to have lived in the seventh century of the Christian era, gave an account of the process, which he described as "the raising of aqueous vapour in any vessel in which it is placed." According to Fairley (The Analyst, 1905) the earliest known reference to the preparation of a spirituous liquor by distillation in Great Britain is contained in the "Mead Song" by the Welsh bard Taliesin in the sixth century. Fairley also points out that distillation from fermented grain liquor was practised in Ireland before the distillation of wine was intro duced. St. Patrick is credited by an old Irish legend with having first taught the Irish the art of distillation ; it is certain that at the time of the first English invasion of Ireland (1170-72) the manufacture of a spirit distilled from grain (i.e., whisky) was
known. It is probable also that the distillation of spirit in Scot land dates back to the same early period. Towards the end of the century much home-produced spirit was obtainable in England from apothecaries and vintners. The dissolution of the monas teries under Henry VIII. resulted in many of the disestablished monks setting up in business as distillers, brewers and vinegar makers, and during the Tudor period the distilling trade became firmly established.
The production of a spirit from wine (i.e., brandy) appears to have been known in the ninth century but according to Morewood the first attempt at the distillation of wine in France is attributed to Arnaldus de Villa Nova in the 13th century. As a manufactur ing industry the distillation of brandy in France began in the 14th century.
For centuries the prepara tion and sale of spirits in Great Britain has been under Govern ment control. During the reign of Elizabeth a royal patent was issued to Candishe and later to Richard Drake to survey "the corrupt sorts of aqua vitae, aqua composita and usquebagh." In 1643 excise duties on spirits were regularly imposed, the tax being collected by the newly constituted excise department. By an act passed in 1657, the excise authorities were given wide powers of control over spirit manufacturers and dealers. Under the Spirits Act of 188o the conditions imposed upon the trade are exceedingly strict.
A distiller must give notice to the authorities of the erection of any new plant or apparatus and must obtain their approval. He must notify the excise officer of the time of many of his manu facturing operations. He may not upon his distillery or any premises communicating therewith brew. beer, refine sugar, deal in wine or make sweets, vinegar, cider or perry. He must keep rec ords in the form prescribed by the Commissioners of Customs and Excise of the quantities of materials used in each operation and of the results of observations to be made at various stages.