copper pot still

A copper pot still is a traditional distillation apparatus used to produce spirits like whiskey, brandy, and rum.

The pot—a large copper vessel—holds the liquid to be distilled and is heated from below; alcohol vapors rise through a neck and condenser, where they cool back to liquid.

Copper is prized because it reacts with sulfur compounds, producing cleaner-tasting spirits.

Pot stills work in batches rather than continuously, yielding spirits with more flavor complexity than column stills: Small-batch bourbon from copper pot stills commands premium prices.