The beer is brought into a pot still, made of copper, and of a size, according to the dimensions of the distillery.

The first still, which is called the beer still, is usually double, that is, there are two of them, and between them is placed another still for the purposes of finishing the operation. The beer stills are provided with scrapers or chains which are dragged constantly over the bottom so that any solid matter coming from the remaining solid contents in the beer may not adhere to the bottom of the still and be burned.

The stills are heated, as a rule, by open fire. In some instances, steam coils are also found in the stills. The shape of the still is said to have a great deal of effect upon the quality of the whisky. The stills with big bellies and with rather long arm necks are preferred.

The product of distillation from the beer still is known as low wines, that is, containing alcohol less than 50 percent by volume of the whole mass. The distillation from the beer still is continued until the alcoholic proof of the distillate is too low to be placed in the low-wine tank. The residuary alcohol is then distilled and added to the next distillate. After the alcohol is all distilled the residue left in the still is called spent beer. It is rather of an unsavory character and is not allowed by the laws of the country to be run into the streams. It is therfore usually disposed of as a slop, or sometimes it is burned, or disposed of otherwise. It is not considered a very wholesome diet for domesticated animals. It is used, although not very extensively for that purpose. Instead of selling it for cattle food or burning it, it is sometimes run into tanks sunk into the earth until all the solid matter settles, and then it is used for manure. In some distilleries it is put into tanks and destroyed by bacterial action. The low wines, after they are collected from the beer stills, are put into a whisky still, which is smaller than the beer stills, and subjected to a second distillation for the purpose of bringing them to an alcoholic strength suitable for bonding, namely: full 50 percent alcohol.

When the distillate from the whisky still becomes too weak to be used for whisky, it is separated and used again with the beer in the next distillation. After all the alcohol is extracted the residue in the whisky still is known as lees, and the lees are disposed of like the spent beer above described. The spirit, after having been thus secured, is stored in oak casks. Those casks which formerly held sherry wine give a distinctly valuable character to the spirit, and, therefore are most highly prized. Such casks bring from $12 to $15 each.

There are in Scotland about 150 distilleries conducted according to the manner described above.

After the whisky is distilled and put into containers it is stored in bonded warehouses in the same manner as in this country.