Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the preparation of an ethyl ester from ethanol-containing mixtures of aliphatic alcohols, which comprises esterifying the alcohols with a carboxylic acid in the presence of an acid catalyst in a distilling column and separating in the same column the ethyl ester continuously from the ester mixture obtained. To this purpose, the alcohol mixture is introduced into the sump and the carboxylic acid is introduced into the column at a point located in the central part and the ethyl ester as well as the water formed during esterification are withdrawn continuously at the top of the column and the higher esters are withdrawn continuously at the sump.