The distillation apparatus must meet the following specifications:
- the number of joints must be no more than the strict minimum needed to ensure the system is leak-tight,
- inclusion of a device designed to prevent priming (entrainment of the boiling liquid by the vapour) and to regularise the distillation rate of alcohol-rich vapours,
- rapid and complete condensation of the alcohol vapours,
- collection of the first distillation fractions in an aqueous medium.