rectifié

Rectifié is a French term that translates to "rectified" or "corrected" in English. It is most commonly encountered in the context of spirits and liqueurs, particularly those produced through distillation. When a spirit is rectified, it undergoes a process of purification and refinement. This can involve redistillation, filtration, or the addition of specific ingredients to achieve a desired quality or flavor profile.

In the production of certain liquors, rectified alcohol forms the base. This alcohol has been purified to a very high degree, often exceeding 95% alcohol by volume. Rectified alcohol is typically neutral in flavor, making it an ideal canvas for adding flavorings, sugars, and other ingredients to create liqueurs or specialty spirits. The process of rectification can remove undesirable congeners and impurities that might otherwise affect the taste, aroma, or clarity of the final product.

The term rectified can also be used more broadly to describe any correction or adjustment made to a substance or process to improve its quality or accuracy. For example, in chemistry, a solution might be rectified to a precise concentration. In engineering, a measurement might be rectified to account for known errors. However, its most prevalent and recognized use remains within the realm of alcoholic beverages.