Among the distilled spirits which are well known in Europe, but not very well known in the United States, may be mentioned cherry brandy, called in German, Kirsch or Kirsch Wasser, which is made from the fermented juice of the cherry. The wild cherry gives a distillate with the finest aroma. This distilled spirit is manufactured very extensively in Switzerland, in Baden and Alsace, and has a strong, fruity taste, with a most agreeable fragrance, is mild and easily drunk, although it contains a large percentage of alcohol. During the fermentation the alcohol which is formed dissolves the bitter principle known as amygdalin from the cherry stone, especially if the stones be broken. This amygdalin dissociates into a sugar, bitter-almond oil and a trace of prussic acid. Cherry brandy owes its distinctive taste to these bodies.