Ginger wine is a fortified wine often made from a fermented blend of ginger, raisins, sugar and yeast, that is often fortified by being blended with brandy. It is one of the main ingredients of the Whisky Mac cocktail. In the 19th century, sales were boosted by a cholera epidemic and a widely held belief that ginger offered protection against the disease, as well as other claims of medicinal properties such as being hailed as an aid to digestion and an effective aphrodisiac.