Editing Whisky (section)

===Distillation===
The decision to transfer either the entire wash or only the most liquid portion into the still is at the discretion of the distiller, and each choice affects the flavor profile of the final product in distinct ways. Following the transfer of the wash, the still is heated to a temperature sufficient to evaporate the alcohol while remaining low enough to prevent the evaporation of water.  Alcohol vapour ascends through the still and is directed to the condenser, which consists of copper tubes or plates, where it condenses back into a liquid form known as the ''[[distilled spirit]]''. This distilled spirit is meticulously monitored during its extraction. The initial and final portions of the distillate are deemed undesirable and are therefore redirected back into the still. Only the middle portion, considered the most desirable, is collected in the ''[[Spirit safe|spirits receiver]]''. At this stage, the distilled spirit is clear and has an ethanol content ranging from 70% to 80% ABV. It is typically diluted before being transferred to casks for maturation, though some distilleries sell it as is at 'cask strength'.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Kosar |first=Kevin R. |url=https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/distributed/W/bo10546280.html |title=Whiskey: A Global History |publisher=Reaktion Books |series=Edible |pages=18-21 |language=en}}</ref> 

A [[still]] for making whisky is usually made of [[copper]], since it removes [[sulfur]]-based compounds from the alcohol that would make it unpleasant to drink.  Modern stills are made of stainless steel with copper innards (piping, for example, will be lined with copper along with copper plate inlays along still walls). The simplest standard [[distillation]] apparatus is commonly known as a [[pot still]], consisting of a single heated chamber and a vessel to collect purified alcohol.

[[Column still]]s are frequently used in the production of [[grain whisky]] and are the most commonly used type of still in the production of [[Bourbon whiskey|bourbon]] and other American whiskeys. Column stills behave like a series of single pot stills, formed in a long vertical tube. Whereas a single pot still charged with wine might yield a vapour enriched to 40–60% alcohol, a column still can achieve a vapour alcohol content of 95.6%; an [[azeotrope|azeotropic]] mixture of alcohol and water.