tripledistilled

Tripledistilled refers to a spirit that has undergone distillation three times. The term is used in branding and descriptions of some vodkas, whiskies, and other spirits that pursue heightened purity and a smoother mouthfeel. The triple pass is achieved by repeating the distillation process in pot stills or column stills, often with adjusted fermentation runs and careful cuts to separate the heads, hearts, and tails at each stage. The goal is to reduce volatile impurities and congeners, resulting in a cleaner, more neutral or refined flavor profile, though the extent of flavor removal depends on the spirit and technique.

In practice, triple distillation is most commonly associated with Irish whiskey, where a three-pass distillation has historical roots and is credited with creating smoother, lighter spirits. By contrast, many Scotch whiskies and other regional varieties are typically distilled twice, with some exceptions that use three distillations. Vodka is also frequently triple-distilled to achieve its characteristic neutral profile, sometimes followed by charcoal filtration.

Critics note that triple distillation can strip flavor complexity if overdone, and it may also reduce yield and increase production costs. Because labeling is not standardized, the term "tripledistilled" does not guarantee a specific flavor or quality beyond the claimed production method.