Secrets

Serie: Inver House Distillers Series – Speyburn

Technique: Acrylic on canvas

Size: 60 x 60 cm

Year: 2022

Inspired by a photograph of Speyburn

At Speyburn it takes four hours to complete a maceration cycle.
During that time, the grist is repeatedly sprayed with hot water to convert the starches into fermentable sugars.
The large mash tun efficiently produces a clear and flavorful “wort”, a sugary liquid ready for fermentation.
They use both stainless steel and wooden washbacks, the latter made of Douglas fir. They are large tanks where the must meets the yeast and fermentation takes place.
The yeast metabolizes the sugars to produce alcohol and carbon dioxide in a foaming and churning spectacle, this is the most visually spectacular part of the process.
Long fermentation times at Speyburn add character to the finished single malt whiskey.
The strong beer produced at this stage is called a 'wash' and already has much of the Speyburn character locked in.