🥃 Triple distillation
Triple distillation means distilling three times in copper pot stills: the spirit becomes lighter and stronger than after two distillations; used in Ireland and the Lowlands.
Triple distillation is a method in which the fermented liquid is passed through three stills. Each pass increases the strength and removes some heavy aromatic compounds, so the new spirit is lighter and cleaner than after two. It is traditionally linked with Irish whiskey, but there are exceptions.
How it works. At Auchentoshan, a Lowland distillery near Glasgow founded in 1823, there are three stills: the wash still, the intermediate still and the spirit still. According to Difford's Guide, in the first everything passes through without cutting heads and tails; in the second the tails are returned to the next charge; in the third the heads, heart and tails are separated. The strength rises from 7.5–8.2 % in the wash to about 13 % after the first pass, about 53 % after the second and 80–81 % after the third.
What for. High strength removes many congeners, so the spirit is lighter, and the character of the cask shows through faster. Difford's Guide describes the Auchentoshan style as lighter and cleaner. The Irish pot still from Jameson and Bushmills is also described as triple distilled.
Comparison. Double distillation, as used for cognac and many malt Scotches, leaves more character. A column still gives an almost neutral spirit in one continuous pass. Triple distillation lies between them in purity, but it also depends on the distiller's decisions about where the heart is cut, not only on the number of passes.
Why this matters to you. Triple distillation does not make the drink safer: the spirit has a higher strength after it, and is then diluted. The WHO reminds us that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
Facts
| Distillation method | three successive distillations in copper stills; at Auchentoshan the new spirit is 80–81 % ABV |
|---|---|
| Cask type | after distillation the spirit is diluted and aged in casks (for whisky, at least 3 years) |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Triple distillation → kind of → ⚗️ How spirits are made → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Next step
- 🥃 Heads, hearts, tails, 🥃 Irish Whiskey, 🥃 Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey, 🥃 Auchentoshan
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health
- Part of
- ⚗️ How spirits are made, 🥃 Distillation
- Related to
- 🥃 Lowland whisky
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Double distillation, 🥃 Column still
Frequently asked questions
What is triple distillation?
Distilling a fermented liquid three times in copper stills: at each stage the spirit becomes stronger and loses heavy compounds.
Is it true that all Irish whiskey is distilled three times?
No. Triple distillation is typical of Irish pot still and many brands, but it is not required for every Irish whiskey.
What is the strength of the new spirit after three distillations?
At Auchentoshan it is 80–81 % ABV, according to Difford's Guide; it is then diluted before casking.
How does it differ from double distillation?
Double distillation gives a less pure but more characterful spirit (cognac, many malt Scotches); triple gives a lighter and cleaner one.
Which drinks are made this way?
Some Irish whiskeys, the Lowland Auchentoshan whisky, and certain vodkas and other distillates.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🥃 Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey — Irish whiskey from malted and unmalted barley (at least 30% of each), distilled in pot stills; 3+ years in casks, 40% vol. or more.
- 🥃 Lowland whisky — Protected region of Scotch whisky in southern Scotland, below the legal Highland–Lowland boundary; the SWA’s 2024 map shows 23 distilleries.
- 🥃 Heads, hearts, tails — The three parts into which the distiller divides spirit during pot distillation: heads with the most volatile substances and methanol, the heart for the drink, and tails with heavy fusel oils.
Similar
🥃 Heads, hearts, tails · 🥃 Double distillation · 🥃 Column still · 🥃 Tahona · 🥃 Aqua vitae · 🥃 Blending
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- Difford's Guide: Auchentoshan Distillery — Lowland distillery (1823) near Glasgow; three stills (wash, intermediate, spirit); wash c. 7.5–8.2 %, wash still distillate c. 13 %, intermediate c. 53 %, new make 80–81 % vol.; lighter, cleaner spirit
- Difford's Guide: Distillation explained — heads, hearts and tails
- Difford's Guide: Jameson Irish Whiskey (pot still and grain; triple distilled pot still whiskey; bourbon and oloroso casks)
- Difford's Guide: The Old Bushmills Distillery Co. Ltd (triple distilled single malt and pot still blend)
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)