WHISKY MAGAZINE Numero 53

Historically, winter was distillation time. That's when work in the fields came to an end and the raw materials - cereals, fruit, cider or wine - were ready to be distilled. And this is still the best time to distil. The cold is a precious ally for fermentation, the natural preservation of wines, ciders or brews and condensation operations.
It was the opening up to tourism in the 1970s that led Scottish distilleries to stop producing in the summer. Thanks to Glenfiddich, a pioneer in this field. Glenfiddich is one of the few Scottish distilleries still to distil over an open fire, a practice that is now disappearing. Except, of course, for the Appellations d'Origine Contrôlée (AOCs) - Cognac first and foremost - for whom it is compulsory in their specifications. So, with the first cold days upon us, we thought it would be a good idea to put the spotlight back on the subject.
We wish you all the best for the festive season.