Alchemy of Smoke & Water
The Distillation Craft
How raw resin-veined wood chips become a viscous, honey-dark elixir. Still metallurgy, soaking duration, and temperature regulation govern the final soul of the oil.
Cu
Antique Copper Degs
The traditional Indian Assam and Cambodi setup. Copper binds with sulfur compounds, yielding a deep, sweet, balsamic, animalic warmth with velvety leather overtones.
Fe
Stainless Steel Stills
Inert and pristine. Produces bright, solar, modern profiles like Trat and Borneo where volatile fruit top notes (apricot, peach, mint) are preserved without caramelization.
CO₂
Supercritical Fluid Extraction
Operates at lower temperatures using pressurized carbon dioxide. Captures heat-sensitive heavy resin fractions that never distill in standard steam hydro-runs.
The Stages of an Artisanal Run
1. Chipping & Mortar MacerationHeartwood cleaved into matchstick slivers by hand
2. Natural Water Soak (14 – 32 Days)Controlled fermentation breaks cellular resin membranes
3. Fire & Low-Simmer Hydro-Cook7 to 10 days of continuous gentle vaporization
4. First-Pull Separation & Solar CuringWater separation and glass-maturation in sunlight