Home / Science / Secret 200-Year-Old Whisky Still Unearthed
Secret 200-Year-Old Whisky Still Unearthed
11 May
Summary
- Over 200-year-old illicit whisky distilling site discovered.
- Copper still fragment found at hidden building site.
- Discovery highlights historical community resistance.
Archaeologists have uncovered a secret illicit whisky distilling site, likely hidden for over two centuries in a remote gully.
The National Trust for Scotland (NTS) archaeology team discovered part of an illegal still and the remains of a small building, called a bothy, used to house the equipment.
This discovery on Ben Lawers National Nature Reserve provides tangible evidence of a historical trade that boomed following the 1788 Excise Act, which banned small household stills.
The site, concealed within a gully along Lawers Burn, was carefully chosen by distillers to evade excise officers, reflecting a historical "battle of wits."
A rare find of a copper alloy collar, likely used to connect parts of the still, offers a unique glimpse into the clandestine activities and a form of community resistance.
This find is part of a larger project identifying 30 such illicit distilling sites across Scotland, with other discoveries made in Glen Affric and Loch Lomond.
