What is Patent Still Distillation?

Patent still distillation produces light whiskey that blends well with mixed drinks.

A patent still distillation is a method of producing grain whiskey through a continuous distillation process. It is also called a "Coffey" still, from the name of Aeneas Coffey, who patented the idea in 1831, according to the Scotland: Whisky and Distilleries website.

Description

The approach pushes hot steam into a vertical tall container containing a mixture of mashed grains and yeast. The alcohol vapors emanating from the boiling mix escape to an adjacent vertical reservoir and condense back into nearly pure liquid alcohol, according to the University of Edinburgh

Taste

The aroma of this distilled whiskey is generally lighter than other whiskeys. It matures in a shorter period of time and its light character blends well in mixed drinks.

Advantage

This process operates continuously, in contrast to other methods that run in batches. This method is more efficient and less expensive.

Disadvantage

The boiling temperature of the wash is not high enough to eliminate contaminants such as methanol and acetaldehyde that may cause organ disease when consumed in large quantities.

Historical Significance

This efficient and economical distillation approach revolutionized the whiskey production in the 1830s and placed Scotland and Northern Ireland as the prime producers of whiskey in Europe. This type of production is still in use today.

References

• Scotland: Whisky and Distilleries - History
• University of Edinburgh: Whisky Term Definitions

Resources

• "The Art of Distilling Whiskey and Other Spirits"; Bill Owens; 2009
• "The Secrets of Building an Alcohol Producing Still"; Vincent R. Gingery; 1994
• Chest of Books: Diagram of Coffey Still