H.—l4,

TABLE I. —SAMPLES of WINES from bulk at HER MAJESTY'S CUSTOMS.

Notes upon Wines in Table I. No. 190. Port.—Mellow, of medium colour, but slightly sweet. H.A. ~ Of excellent taste; very dark ; much sediment of tartar. No. 538. „ Very crusty; mellow, rather turbid. No. 419. ~ Dark colour, very sweet, slightly turbid. No. 534. „ Light port colour, and smooth taste, slightly sweet; no sediment or crust. No. 692. „ Very sweet and clear. No. 595. „ Clear, of pure vinous flavour ; crusty. No. 454. „ Slightly turbid; has a light pleasant taste ; large sediment of tartar. No. 362. „ Per " Carrick Castle," from London—clear pale for port; very sweet. No. 526. „ Ex " Wellington," from Onehunga—clear and dark ; a little sweet. No. 598. „ Ex " Peter Denny," from London—clear, feebly sweet, pale colour. No. 820. „ Ex " Warwick," from London —rather astringent and faintly sweet, clear ; good deposit of tartar. No. 893. „ Ex " Wellington," from Auckland—turbid, feebly sweet ; contains much tartar. No. 183. Colonial Port. —Melbourne —clear, light colour ; taste new, being very harsh and astrin- .& entNo 736. Colonial Wine. —Port, ex s.s. " Albion " —rather astringent, but faintly sweet; clear. No. 51. Sherry. —Ex " Jessie Eeadman " —dry, clear pale colour. No. 216. „ Ex " Lady Jocelyn " —colour pale, good full flavour ; not acid. No. 428. „ Ex " Himalaya," ship —pale, clear. No. 881. „ Ex " City of Dunedin " —pale, clear, not sweet; has a brandy flavour. No. 913. „ Ex " Vanguard," ship —dark and clear. No. 599. „ Decidedly acid to the taste, and unpleasant; colour dark for sherry, and turbid. No. 668. „ Appears of average quality, tasting strongly of brandy. No. 448. „ Harsh flavour, feebly sour ; much sediment of tartar. No. Jj. „ Of average quality. 585 ") Nos. . A,' > ~ In colour light; both are wines of fair average quality. ll.—Spieits. The samples of spirits from Otago comprise forty-two of brandy and thirty-eight of whisky, and the ones from bond comprise four of brandy, three of whisky, three of rum, and one of geneva. These samples have all been carefully examined, with the exception of three, the labels of which were not sufficiently distinct to allow of being certainly recognized. Determination of Alcohol. —The only quantitative analysis performed upon these samples has been the determination of their respective strengths, and the results of this will be found in Tables 11. and 111. attached. Brandies. —It will be seen on reference to Table 11. that the strength of the brandies is on the whole very satisfactory, averaging 51'34 per cent.' of alcohol; that of the best brandies of commerce, such as Hennessey's, Martell's, &c, being 50'3, as is shown in my preliminary report upon the present

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Brand. Variety. Locality. Specific Gravity at 60° Fahr. Alcohol per Cent, by Volume. 190 H.A. K S36 419 554 692 595 454 362 526 1 59 8 820 893 183 736 51 216 428 I "tTtTT 913 599 668 448 _1_ se 585 421 Port Christehurch 1004-4 10005 10063 10182 1008-4 10027 1009 0 1005 3 10190 1014-0 10160 10100 9990 990-8 9940 9929 9940 9921 9908 996-8 993-5 9850 9886 989-8 9901 9922 19-02 2092 20-81 2105 20-40 22 00 20-86 21-46 19-82 1991 18-74 15-68 17-14 15-42 13 92 21-10 2109 2140 2163 2256 10-81 2114 18-10 2151 18-81 2006 ,, jj jj jj „ jj jj jj jj ••• jj jj ••• jj jj jj Wellington jj jj jj jj jj jj jj jj Colonial Port jj u jj Sherry jj jj jj jj jj jj jj jj jj jj Christehurch jj jj jj ,, jj „ jj jj jj jj jj