The wash is heated using ten steam plates, similar
in construction to household radiators. These allow the wash
to be heated gently but effectively for greater control during
the distillation. As alcohol evaporates at a lower temperature
than water, it rises first up the neck of the still, along the
Lyne arm and into the top of a copper condenser. The condenser
cools the vapours returning them to the liquid phase.
From the condenser, the liquid now known as low wines, flows
through the spirit safe and into the wooden low wines and feints
receiver. Approximately 2,500 litres of low wines are collected
from each 7,500 litre distillation at an alcoholic strength
of between 20% and 23% abv.
The second distillation commences when the spirit still is
filled with the contents of the low wines and feints receiver
and the liquid is heated in the same way as the wash still.
Both the wash and spirit stills have been specifically designed
by Gordon and MacPhail to produce a full, rich spirit.
From each spirit distillation approximately 600 litres of
pure Benromach spirit is collected and transferred to the wooden
intermediate spirit receiver (ISR).
The spirit is then transferred to the Spirit Receiver – Warehouse
Vat (SRWV) and reduced to 63.5% abv using the spring water
from the Romach Hills. Now the spirit is ready to be filled
into casks. |