The distillation of spirits has a very long and prominent history, beginning with the ancient Greeks. These civilizations ascribed sacred powers to the intoxicating liquids, emerging with their experiments with wine distillation. Nowadays, new craft distillers use high-tech equipment to make their whiskey, gin, and other spirits. But they still are based on the same laws of fractional distillation that humans have been using to produce alcohol for centuries. Here is a breakdown of how distillation works. Reference: http://www.popularmechanics.com/home/how-to/a7569/how-distilling-works/