Pot still design and Reflux

More reflux means milder and clearer whisky. Pot still has several desing type to adjust reflux.

Heating Source

Direct heating has much faster heating than indirect steam heating. Faster heating mean less reflux so direct heating type has less reflux and makes more powerful whisky.

Direct heat coal type whisky pot still with rummager Yoichi

Direct coal

 It is original heating type pot still.
 For wash till, it needs  rummager chain for anti burn stick pot still inside. Normally direct heating type makes more powerful whisky than indirect steam heating pot still.

 Ex. Only Yoichi.

Direct heat gas type whisky pot still with rummager

Direct gas

 There are 4 distilleries for using gas direct heating pot still in the world today.
  For wash till, it needs rummager chain for anti burn stick pot still inside. Normally direct heating type makes more powerful whisky than indirect steam heating pot still.
 
Ex. Only Glenfiddich, Glenfarclas, Macallan and Springbank.

Steam coil heating whisky Pot still

Steam coil

 It is indirect heating type. High temperature steam is going through coil and then coil heats and distills wash or low wine.
 It is much less burn stick pot still inside.

Steam cylincer heating whisky Pot still

Steam cylinder

 It is also indirect heating type. High temperature steam is going through cylinder  and then cylinder heats and distills wash or low wine.
 it is much more easider to remove burn stick.

Pot body

More surface area makes more reflux. Lanterna type and Bulge type were developed for increasing reflux.

Whisky Pot still Onion Pera body less reflux

Onion/Pear

 It is most less refulux type pot still.

Whisky Pot still Lantern body normal reflux

Lantern

 It is middle refulux type pot still.

Whisky Pot still bulge Boil ball body More reflux

Bulge/Boil Ball

 It is most refulux type pot still.

Pot neck

Tere are also some custom type of pot still neck to increase cooling to increase reflux.

Whisky Pot still Long neck more reflux

Long neck

 Long neck means that steam wash needs to travel more distance before condensor. So it means morereflux.

Ex. Glenmorangie

Whisky Pot still Water jacket More reflux

Water Jacket Head

 Some distillery puts water cooling jacket on pot still neck for increasing reflux.

Ex. Glen Grant, Dalmore

Whisky Pot still Lomond more reflux

Lomond

 Some distillery insert copper plate in pot still neck for increasing reflux.

Ex. Glenburgie, Scapa, Loch Lomond

Lyne Arm

Upward arm and Purifier make more condense in lyne arm and send back condensed liquid to pot still.
Downward works oppositely.

Whisky Pot still Lyne Arm More Reflux

Upward

 More upward angle arm causes more reflux and if further reflux is needed, longer and/or thicker arm make more reflux.

Whisky Pot still Lyne arm Less reflux

Downward

 More downward angle arm causes less reflux. It means that it increases carrying over more heavy contents to whisky and it become oily and powerful one.

Whisky Pot still Lyne arm Purifier

Purifier

 Rectifiler increases colling and returns condensed liquid to pot still via bypass.

Ex. Ardbeg, Glenlossie and Talisker.

Condensing system

 Condenser reconverts wash steam to liquid.

Whisky Pot still condensor Warn tube

Warm condenser

It is traditional condenser. Copper warm tube remove sulfur compounds from wash steam during cendensing.

Whisky Pot still condensor Fin and Tube

Fin & Tube condenser

It is improved condenser which has more copper surface area. It means more capability to remove sulfur compounds.