Our previous article introduced the wooden still pot for rum in detail. In addition to pot distillation, column distillation is also a common distillation method in rum brewing.
Column distillation is what we often call "column distillation" and "continuous distillation" now. Multiple distillation columns are connected together, which greatly improves the distillation efficiency. Many famous rum distilleries are using this distillation method: Wray & Nephew Distillery in Jamaica uses a three-column still; DDL Company in Guyana uses a four-column Savar still; Bacardi (UK), Cruzan ( The United States), Angostina (Trinidad and Tobago), etc. use five-column stills. The liquor distilled in column stills was lighter than that produced in pot stills, and thus light rum was born. However, the use of column stills is not limited to light rum. Strong rum can also be produced through technical means. However, although the distilled wine has the same degree as the wine distilled using a pot still, the flavor is different. There are differences.
Column stills also played an important role in the development of whiskey. In the early 19th century, Irishman Aeneas Coffey improved early stills and designed a continuous distillation column that connected the analytical column and the distillation column, also known as the "Coffey still." Shortly after the advent of this column-type continuous distiller, it was used by the Scots in the production of grain whiskey due to its advantages of high distillation efficiency and low cost. It also prompted Scottish blended whiskey to gradually replace Irish whiskey as the dominant player in the world. Although the distillation efficiency of the continuous still is higher and the distilled wine is purer, in terms of body and flavor, the whiskey distilled from the continuous column distillation is lighter than the traditional pot still.
Continuous distillation using a column still is also a commonly used distillation method for French brandy in addition to Cognac and Armagnac. Cognac uses Charente pot distillation, and Armagnac uses semi-continuous distillation. Most of them require double distillation, while continuous distillation does not require double distillation. The brandy distilled from the continuous still has a lighter taste.
In general, column stills are characterized by high efficiency and can distill different fractions, but the disadvantage is that the final distilled wine has less flavor substances, which is what people usually call light. Pot stills, on the other hand, have lower distillation efficiency, but the flavor content of the wine distilled is much higher than that of column stills. Therefore, the price of wine distilled by column stills is generally lower than that of wine distilled by pot stills. Due to its high distillation efficiency and large production volume per unit time, the column still has a significant role in promoting large-scale wineries.
