Distillation | Where Whiskey Is Made

There are different types of stills and methods of distillation, and these decisions all affect the distillate’s character. From a flavorful fermented mash, rectification and concentration are important aspects of the distillation process. Small-scale craft distillers often use pot or hybrid stills for batch distillation. When you make the batch’s cuts—heads, hearts, and tails—can greatly affect the new-make’s flavor. While the hearts form the bulk of the distillate, the oily tails present new choices—they can add body and character, but they can also add unwelcome vegetal notes, among other off-flavors. Pot stills produce a richer, fattier, ester-forward distillate that may need more time to age, while columns produce a lighter, more rectified whiskey that can mature more quickly.