Making whisky is a centuries-old craft that transforms simple ingredients into the complex, flavourful spirit we know and love. It’s a meticulous process that involves several key stages, with distillation being one of the most important. 

Here we share what’s involved in the distillation process including how we distill whisky here at The Glenlivet.

Distillation is a vital step in how whisky is made. After the ingredients have been malted, milled and mashed, the resulting liquid is fermented to produce alcohol. What’s leftover is then distilled.

In this fourth step, the alcohol is separated from the water and other impurities in the fermented wash (a beer-like liquid). This is achieved by heating the wash to specific temperatures in copper or pot stills.

The wash is first heated in a wash still to just below the boiling point of water. This allows the alcohol and other volatile compounds to vaporise, rising and passing over the neck of the still into a condenser or worm, a large copper coil immersed in cold water.

Here, the vapours cool down and condense back into a liquid; the distilled spirit otherwise known as ‘low wines’. This process is then usually repeated to remove unwanted compounds and to increase the purity of the alcohol.

The second distillation creates a more concentrated liquid as additional water is removed. The resulting clear liquid is then ready to mature for as long as needed in oak casks, the final step of the whisky making process.

Whisky distillation can be done using pot stills or column stills, depending on the type of whisky being produced.

Traditional pot stills are used in the production of most single malt Scotch whiskies—a method that’s been around for hundreds of years. These stills operate in batches and the whisky is usually distilled twice to achieve a purer spirit. 

Copper stills are often the preferred method for whisky distillation because copper reacts with sulphur compounds, removing unwanted flavours and impurities from the spirit. This ensures a smoother and more refined final product. The shape and size of the pot also plays a significant role in the character of the whisky, influencing its final flavour profile.

Column stills, also known as continuous stills, are typically used for producing grain whisky and American whiskies like bourbon. These stills allow for continuous distillation, making the process more efficient, however it doesn’t retain as much of the malt’s flavour as using copper. The result is a light, clean spirit, which is often used in blended whiskies.

Honouring our heritage is key to how we make our scotch here at The Glenlivet. And the distillation process is no exception. When our founder George Smith first started making whisky over 200 years ago, he did so using time-honoured methods including the use of pot stills. And nothing’s changed since.

The Glenlivet distillery continues to use traditional copper pot stills to create our single malts. In fact we still distill our whisky in George Smith’s original lantern-shaped stills, a pioneering design that was the first of its kind. This is what gives The Glenlivet collection its signature smooth, fruity finish.

After distillation, the new spirit is transferred to oak casks for maturation. It’s during this stage that the whisky develops its complex flavours even further, taking on characteristics from the wood and the surrounding environment. The Glenlivet ages its whisky in a combination of American oak and European oak casks, each imparting different notes that enhance the final product.

While double distillation is the norm for scotch whisky, some distilleries, particularly in Ireland, use triple distillation. This additional step results in a lighter spirit, however it can lose some of the rich, complex characteristics of single malt, which is why we stick to double distillation here at The Glenlivet.

The shape and size of the stills used in distillation greatly influence the whisky’s character. Taller stills tend to produce lighter and more delicate spirits, while shorter, squat stills yield richer, fuller-bodied whiskies. Our unique lantern-shaped stills strike a balance, contributing to the rich, fruity profile of our scotch.

Distilling whisky is a craft that requires precision, expertise and an understanding of how doing so impacts the final liquid’s taste. Our dedication to traditional methods and careful checks ensure that every bottle of our single malt scotch is smooth and balanced.

We have plenty of whisky guides to help you learn more about how whisky is made including the fermentation process and cask selection.