Archaeologists report finding evidence that an outbuilding in the Scottish Highlands was used to produce whisky illicitly around two centuries ago. The discovery is linked to a stone bothy located in the Ben Lawers National Nature Reserve, where researchers say they uncovered material and features consistent with historic distilling activity. The sites’ use is described as secret and unlawful, suggesting whisky production was carried out outside official licensing at the time.
While the accounts describe the same general find—archaeological evidence tied to a former bothy in the Highlands—public details focus on the age estimate and the likelihood of illicit distillation rather than on specific individuals, production quantities, or how authorities responded. The reports characterize the evidence as significant for understanding historical whisky-making practices in remote areas, particularly where small-scale or informal production may have occurred. No outlet provided additional confirmed documentation or charges in the available text. The research team’s findings are presented as archaeological evidence suggesting an illicit whisky still, not as definitive proof of an identified operation or person.
