Aqua vitae
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Spirits of wine
)
Aqua vitae
Aqua vitae was typically prepared by distilling wine and in English texts was also called ardent spirits, spirit of wine,[1] or spirits of wine, a name that could be applied to brandy that had been repeatedly distilled.
The term was used by the 14th-century alchemist
John of Rupescissa, who believed the then newly discovered substance of ethanol to be an imperishable and life-giving "fifth essence" or quintessence, and who extensively studied its medical properties.[3]
Aqua vitae was often an
distilled spirits.[4] Examples include whisky (from the Gaelic uisce beatha), eau de vie in France, acquavite in Italy, and akvavit
in Scandinavia, okowita in Poland, оковита (okovyta) in Ukraine, акавіта (akavita) in Belarus, and яковита (yakovita) in southern Russian dialects.
See also
- Alchemy
- Aqua fortis
- Aqua regia
- History of ethanol
- Vodka
References
- ^ a b William Campbell Ottley, A Dictionary of Chemistry, and of Mineralogy (1826) asee "Aqua Vitæ"; bsee entry "Alcohol."
- ISBN 0-85115-611-8
- ISBN 978-0226103792. pp. 69-71.
- ^ Artemas Ward, "Aqua Vitae" The Grocer's Encyclopedia, p. 32.
External links
Look up aqua vitae in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
Look up spirits of wine in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
