Aqua Vitæ

Aqua Vitæ (Lat., 'water of life') is a common term applied to ardent spirits; especially, in commerce, spirits of the first distillation, or unrectified. During the alchemical epoch, brandy or distilled spirits was much used as a medicine, was considered a cure for all disorders, and even got the credit of prolonging life. French cau de vie (brandy) has the same meaning, as well as our words whisky and usquebaugh; the former a Scotch, the latter an Irish form, from a common Gaelic and Irish, uisge bhcatha.