I was under the impression that White Lightning can be distilled from virtually anything, that its what you do with the stuff after you distill it that turns it into vodka, gin, whiskey, rye, etc.
Am I right (more or less)?
White Lightening ia really nothing more than the first distillation of anything that has been fermented. Legit alky is normally made from grain, mashed and then fermented. It's the same process used to make beer. As a matter of fact, distillers refer to the fermented liquid as "beer" before it's distilled.
The popular handbooks for WL recipes usually use cane sugar since it's so simple to use (just open up a bag -- pour into water and add yeast) and readily available.
Ciroc Vodka (French) is made from grapes and CNN reports that the French, indeed, are distilling some of their grape runnings into vodka http://edition.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/europe/11/20/grape.vodka/
I have the feeling this article is a bit of hooey. I also don't understand how they classify the alcohol as "industrial?" It's the same alcohol that could be used as vodka or further processed into brandy, cognac or even gin.