SC - question after recipe

[Terri Spencer]

Aqua vitae was a general term for distilled "essence" of alcohol in
several languages.  Whisky appears to be one of the earliest aqua
vitaes in Europe, though the Scots seem more inclined to drink it neat
or age it in oak than to put herbs and spices in it.  

I agree that a grain-based alcohol could be appropriate for cordials,
since some of the recipes in period distill ale (or even mead) instead
of wine.  But I've not seen a one that distills potatoes. :)

Tara
who's heard several A&S judges deplore the common use of vodka as a
cordial base in these modern middle ages.


"Jeff Gedney" wrote: 

Previously mentioned on this list, in the Islamin Alcohol thread was
aquavitae made from rice. Source was "the Voyages and Works of of John
Davis, Navigator (1604)". In context the useage of the term implied
that Aquavitae meant "distilled ardent alcoholic beverage", and was
applied as a classification, and not an indication of a specific
recipe. 

Aquavitae means "water of life", and more or less is used to mean
"essence". The same term "water of life" is applied to the grain based
distilled beverage of Scotland and Ireland. 


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