Archaeologists working in the Scottish Highlands have uncovered the remains of a hidden whisky distillery believed to have operated illegally more than 200 years ago, shedding new light on the dangerous underground trade that once flourished across rural Scotland.
The discovery was made in the remote Ben Lawers National Nature Reserve near Killin, where researchers unearthed the stone remains of a concealed bothy — a small hut traditionally used by workers and travelers — alongside rare evidence directly linking the site to illicit whisky production. The findings were reported by Smithsonian Magazine, Sky News, The New York Post, STV News, The Independent, and other outlets covering the excavation.
According to archaeologists from the National Trust for Scotland, the isolated structure was carefully hidden within a steep burn gully near Lawers Burn, allowing illegal distillers to avoid detection from excise officers during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The site’s concealed location, protected by bends in the landscape and close access to fresh water, would have made it ideal for clandestine whisky production.
Among the most significant discoveries was a rare copper alloy fragment identified as part of a whisky still. Experts believe the piece, known in Gaelic as “An Gearradan,” connected the still’s lyne arm to the head of the distillation apparatus. Archaeologists say this is the clearest physical evidence yet found at one of the known illicit distilling sites within the reserve.
Smithsonian Magazine reported that the copper fragment may have been accidentally abandoned during a hurried escape from tax officers. Because copper was highly valuable at the time, researchers believe smugglers would normally have removed every reusable component from the site. The fact that the piece remained buried for centuries suggests distillers may have fled suddenly to avoid arrest.
The excavation also revealed a well-constructed hearth, traces of burning, a substantial stone-covered drainage channel beneath the floor, and the remains of a timber roof support post buried under collapsed stone walls. Archaeologists say these features confirm the bothy was purpose-built specifically for distilling whisky rather than serving as a temporary shelter.
Sky News and The Independent reported that at least five suspected illicit whisky bothies have been identified in the Ben Lawers area, although this is the first where a surviving still component has been recovered. Researchers say the discovery offers an unusually detailed glimpse into the hidden operations of Highland smugglers during a period when whisky production became heavily regulated and taxed.
Illegal distillation expanded rapidly after the British government outlawed unlicensed whisky production in the late 1780s. Prior to the crackdown, many Highland communities relied on small-scale distilling both for personal use and as an important source of income. As taxes increased, many distillers simply moved their operations into remote glens, hillsides, and forests where they could continue producing spirits out of sight.
The New York Post and STV News noted that excise officers and smugglers engaged in what historians have described as a prolonged “battle of wits” across the Highlands. Distillers often selected sites near peat supplies for fuel and close to water sources needed during the distillation process. Many hidden stills were intentionally built in hard-to-reach terrain where smoke and movement would be difficult to detect.
Derek Alexander, head of archaeology for the National Trust for Scotland, said the people operating the Ben Lawers still clearly understood how to evade authorities. He explained that the bothy’s location within a sheltered bend of the burn would have hidden activity from both upstream and downstream observers.
Researchers involved in the excavation believe the discovery represents more than simply evidence of illegal alcohol production. Historians increasingly view illicit whisky distilling as part of broader economic resistance among Highland communities struggling under government taxation and changing land ownership patterns during the post-Jacobite era.
The excavation forms part of a larger archaeological project investigating Scotland’s forgotten smuggling landscape. Smithsonian Magazine reported that researchers have already identified around 30 suspected illicit distilling sites connected to Scotland’s underground whisky trade. Archaeologists believe many more remain undiscovered throughout the Highlands.
Historical records surrounding illegal whisky production are often limited because participants intentionally avoided creating written evidence that could expose them to prosecution. As a result, physical discoveries like the Ben Lawers bothy provide rare insights into how smuggling operations actually functioned.
Experts say the site also highlights how deeply whisky production was woven into Highland culture. By the early 19th century, illicit distilling had become widespread across Scotland, with smugglers transporting whisky across rural routes and hidden paths to avoid customs checkpoints and tax collectors.
Many historians note that some of Scotland’s future legal whisky producers began as illicit distillers before reforms in the 1820s allowed licensed whisky production to expand commercially. The transition helped shape Scotland’s modern whisky industry, now internationally recognized as one of the country’s most important cultural exports.
Archaeologists plan to continue surveying the Ben Lawers landscape in search of additional hidden sites connected to the underground whisky trade. Researchers say each new discovery adds another piece to a chapter of Scottish history that remained buried for generations in the hills of the Highlands.
Information in this article was compiled and rewritten from reporting by Smithsonian Magazine, Sky News, The New York Post, STV News, and The Independent.