Whisky Making & Production Process: Distillation Steps
For whisky lovers and curious investors alike, understanding how whisky is made goes beyond taste – it’s a journey into craftsmanship, time, and opportunity.
But have you ever wondered about the fascinating journey behind every drop? Understanding the whisky making process not only deepens your appreciation but also reveals the craftsmanship involved from grain to glass.
Whether you’re just getting into whisky or exploring cask ownership, this guide walks you through every step of whisky production, helping you appreciate each phase and understand why more people are choosing to own a cask.
Understanding the Whisky Making Process
The whisky making process is a combination of art, science and time-honoured tradition. From selecting the right grains, malting, mashing, fermenting, distilling, to aging and bottling, every stage plays a crucial role in shaping the whisky’s unique character and flavour.
The whisky production process typically begins with simple ingredients, yet each component plays a defining role in the final taste of the whisky’s core flavour profile:
- Grains: Common choices include malted barley, wheat, rye, and corn. Each brings its own signature character to the final spirit.
- Water: Quality water is essential. The purity, mineral content, and even the geology of the water source influence the whisky’s mouthfeel and taste and it’s often from natural springs or local rivers. That’s why distilleries are often built near reliable, mineral-rich springs.
- Yeast: The unsung hero of the fermentation process, yeast converts sugars into alcohol while releasing aroma compounds that shape the whisky’s flavour. Different yeast strains contribute distinct characteristics.
It’s a delicate balance between nature and human skill, perfected over centuries in regions such as Scotland, Ireland, Japan and the US.
How is Whisky Made Step by Step?
If you’ve ever asked, “How is whisky made step by step?”, here’s a closer look at each stage in the whisky production process, highlighting the essential whisky distillation steps and what makes each phase special.
Malting
The journey begins by soaking grains, typically barley in water to kickstart germination. This process, which usually lasts two to three days, activates enzymes necessary for converting starches into sugars later in the process.
To prevent the grains from sprouting, they are dried in a kiln to stop the germination process. In some Scottish distilleries, peat smoke is used during drying to create distinctive smoky and coastal flavours—think Ardbeg or Laphroaig. The degree of peat influence depends on both drying time and the amount of peat used.
Drying typically takes 1–2 days.
Once dry, the barley is milled and forms a product called grist. Milling breaks down the husks (shells) of the barley, allowing easier access to the starch in mashing.
Mashing
The dried malt is ground and mixed with hot water in a mash tun. In this stage of the whisky process, enzymes break down starches into fermentable sugars, producing a sweet liquid called wort. This stage usually takes 4 to 12 hours, depending on temperature and mash efficiency, and lays the flavour foundation for fermentation.
Fermentation
Once cooled to around 16–20°C, the wort is transferred into fermentation vessels (called washbacks) and yeast is added. Fermentation usually lasts 48 to 96 hours.
During this time, the yeast converts sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide, while also producing esters and aldehydes: key contributors to whisky’s fruity and floral aromas. The resulting liquid, known as “wash”, has an alcohol content of 7–10% ABV.
Distillation
Distillation is arguably the most iconic and transformative stage of the whisky production process. The intricate whisky distillation steps are designed to refine the low-alcohol wash into a clear, potent spirit that is ready to mature into fine whisky.
Most Scotch and Irish whiskies are double-distilled using traditional pot stills; some, like those in Ireland or the Lowlands, may undergo triple distillation for a lighter spirit. This practice is essential for removing impurities and concentrating the desired flavour compounds.
The first distillation, commonly known as the “wash still”, heats the wash to produce “low wines” at approximately 20–25% ABV. These low wines then proceed to the “spirit still” for the second distillation.
The second distillation is the new-make spirit where the master distiller’s expertise truly shines. As the low wines are heated again, the vapour rises and is condensed. The resulting distillate is precisely divided into three distinct parts: the foreshots (or “heads”), the heart (the “spirit cut”), and the feints (or “tails”). Only the “heart cut”, which represents the purest and most desirable portion of the distillate, is collected to become whisky. The foreshots and feints, containing undesirable compounds, are carefully separated and re-distilled in the next batch, ensuring efficiency and quality. This meticulous selection process significantly impacts the final purity, mouthfeel, and aromatic profile of the whisky.
In certain Irish and Lowland Scottish distilleries, a third distillation is a common practice. This additional distillation step typically results in a lighter, smoother, and often more approachable spirit, distinct from whiskies that undergo fewer distillations.
Maturation
Following whisky distillation steps, the clear “new make” spirit is transferred into oak casks for an extended period of aging, or maturation. Whisky must legally mature in oak casks for at least three years before it can be called whisky. During this time, the spirit absorbs flavours from the wood: vanilla, spice, tannins and undergoes a gradual mellowing that adds depth and complexity.
Whisky Age Guide:
0–3 years – New Make Spirit: Unaged, raw, and often sharp, with strong grain notes.
3–10 years – Young Whisky: More balanced, with emerging cask influence and rounded edges.
11–19 years – Mid-Aged Whisky: Greater complexity, depth, and integration of cask-derived flavours.
20+ years – Aged Whisky: Rich, nuanced, and refined, often featuring notes of leather, dark chocolate, and dried fruit with a silky mouthfeel.
The type, size, and previous use of the cask all influence maturation:
- Smaller casks (e.g., quarter casks) mature whisky faster.
- Larger casks (e.g., sherry butts or puncheons) age it more slowly, often adding richer notes of dried fruit or spice.
- Common cask types include bourbon barrels, sherry casks, and port pipes, each imparting unique characteristics.
Each year, approximately 2% of the whisky evaporates through the wood, a natural process known as the “angel’s share”. Correct cask maintenance is required to periodically log the volume (RLA) and strength (ABV) of the liquid as it ages. Due to the “angel’s share”, a 20 year old cask will have a lower liquid volume and alcohol % than a 3 year old cask of the same size.
Bottling
After aging, every cask is unique. To ensure consistency in flavour and style, master blenders combine whiskies from multiple casks. This is most common across commercial blends such as Johnnie Walker.
Alternatively, some whiskies are bottled directly from a single cask—these are known as Single Cask Bottlings and are most commonly bottled in smaller batches by independent bottlers. At Cask Trade, we specialise in offering these exclusive single casks to private investors and trade clients (independent bottlers).
Bottling may involve further steps like cask finishing, dilution with water (or not—cask strength), and label preparation.
Own a Cask – Make Whisky Personal
As whisky investment grows in popularity, more collectors are turning to whole casks as a long term alternative asset or a unique personal bottling project. Whether you’re buying for personal enjoyment, gifting, or long term value holding, single cask ownership is becoming a top choice for the modern whisky enthusiast.
At Cask Trade, we provide full support throughout the entire cask ownership journey—from understanding the whisky making process, the key of each distillation step, to choosing the right cask and storing it securely in our bonded warehouses across the UK and Asia.
Interested in owning your own cask of whisky?
