SC - Re:Hemp Seed again

[Philip & Susan Troy]

Brenna wrote:
> 
> Forgive me...I am not really ignorant of drugs entirely, but I've heard the term
> aqua vitae ("water of life" I believe) and I have no idea what it is.  Can anyone
> tell me?

Aqua vitae, or water of life, to cut to the chase, is water that will
burn, and so was supposed to have all kinds of vaguely magical and
specifically medicinal qualities. Translated into Gaelic it is called
uisgebaugh, pronounced something like whiskvah, and later bowdlerized by
English-speakers as whisky.

In period usage it is almost any distilled spirit, made from grapes,
grain, or other fermentables, with or without spices. The spices, BTW,
would be added _before_ distillation, so this stuff is not much like a
cordial (in answer to people's 
next question) ;  )

Adamantius
- -- 
Phil & Susan Troy

troy at asan.com
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