Distilling a clandestine craft: The archaeology and history of illicit whisky-making

To avoid paying tax, in the 18th and 19th century, small-scale whisky-production went underground, moving to isolated bothies hidden in remote locations across Scotland. Derek Alexander and Daniel Rhodes describe recent archaeological fieldwork by the National Trust for Scotland, in partnership with The Glenlivet, which has been hunting down these sites across the Highlands and bringing their illicit remains to light once more.

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Current Archaeology

March 6, 2025

Since 2020, National Trust for Scotland archaeologists and volunteers have been working with The Glenlivet to uncover sites and stories relating to Scotch whisky-production, exploring the spirit’s place in the nation’s cultural heritage. One phase of the Pioneering Spirit project investigated the remains of the original Glenlivet distillery in Speyside (see CA 416), while the other side of our research has highlighted rather smaller production sites, surveying and excavating the remains of illicit whisky bothies on land belonging to the Trust. So far, around 40 such sites have been identified, and nine have been excavated, at Mar Lodge, Torridon, Ben Lomond, and Ben Lawers. Unlicensed

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