Water of Life: A History of Wine-Distilling and Spirits 500BC - AD2000

The conventionally held historical view is that the distillation of wine was invented in the mid twelfth century by scholars at Salerno. This book contends that the process has a much more ancient history starting with Dionysian mystery cults in the fifth century BC. These early spirits far from being seen or used in contemporary 'booze' related terms, were seen as possesing magical fire based powers, and were later seen as giving life, youth and mental clarity, often to be rubbed on the skin rather than drunk. All the usual suspects are here - gnostics, templars et al, but so is an enormous amount of highly detailed and fascinating research.