Green’s Dictionary of Slang

essence n.¹

(US) whisky.

1865		in M. Woodruff Union Soldier 45: More or less of the ‘Essence’ passes his black throat every day. He [...] never draws a sober breath [HDAS].
1892		Wheeling Dly Intelligencer 14 Mar. 7/3: In Missouri common whisky is called in literary circles ‘the essence of the tasseled field’.
1915		Tacoma Times (WA) 2 Oct. 5/2: Fifty bottles of ‘essence’ [...] seized [They] inclued the following brands: Bourbon whisky, rye whisky, Scotch whisky...

SE in slang uses

In compounds

essence of hickory (n.)

(US) a whipping with a hickory switch.

1917

(con. 1840s) Kuykendall Frontier Days 2: A little ‘essence of hickory’ would work wonders [HDAS].

essence-peddler (n.) (also essence pedlar) [the skunk’s notoriety as a smelly animal]

(US) a skunk.

1849		in J.R. Lowell Letters (1894) I 153: A skunk was shot in our back-kitchen this morning. There were two of these ‘essence-peddlers,’ as Yankees call them.
1872		Schele de Vere Americanisms 54: With irony the animal [i.e. a skunk] is called by the Yankees an essence pedlar.
1890		E. Custer Following the Guidon 200: The doctor soon came hurrying back to say that the passage was disputed by a small but well-armed foe, and added that ‘as soon as that essence-peddler saw fit to move on, the major-general commanding would issue his order to march.’.
1899		F.D. Bergen Animal Lore 61: Essence-peddler, skunk.
1923		DN V 240: Essence peddler. A skunk.
1946		R. Peattie Pacific Coast 90: These animals are called by a number of humorous nicknames – sachet pussy, perfume merchant, essence peddler, wood pussy -but a skunk by any other name.
1969		in DARE.
1975		J. Gould Maine Lingo 86: Essence peddler A skunk.