Malt Distillation
After fermentation, the wash is then distilled twice in pot stills, first in the wash still and then in the spirit still, where the alcoholic content increases significantly. The vapour from the stills is cooled and condensed back into liquid form. Only the middle section of the spirit - known as the heart - is collected in the spirit receiver from the second distillation at a strength of around 68% abv, and only this selection will go onto to be matured.
Grain Distillation
The wash is distilled in a continuous (or "Coffey") still made up of two tall columns, a rectifier and an analyser. The spirit comes off the still at a very high strength of 94% abv and it is lighter in character than single malt whisky. This is then taken down to below 70% with de-mineralised water before maturation.