This is a question which has puzzled many competent and conscientious investigators, and also a question which has been answered in many different ways.

In countries where food laws exist the distilled beverages naturally come within the scope of such laws, and hence, their proper naming and designations are matters of legal supervision.

In the United States such supervision has been exercised and the proper designation of "whisky" to a distilled spirit limited by various decisions of executive officers and courts.

The first decision of this kind was issued by the Secretary of Agriculture on the recommendation of the Bureau of Chemistry, on December 1, 1906. This was in compliance with the request of manufacturers, and was couched in the following language: