Whisky still

Highlands

This pot still has a mysterious history. It was found abandoned anonymously on the steps of the museum in the 1920s. The damage was caused by some over-zealous excisemen determined that the still would not be used again. There was a long tradition of illicit distilling in the Highlands. The government tried to control whisky production, and the 1788 Excise Act banned the use of stills making less than 100 gallons (450 litres) at a time. Legal whisky was poor quality, due to the high taxes imposed on the malted grain used to make it. Since the illicit stills paid no tax, and could use good malted grain, their whisky could be smuggled to markets where it would fetch a higher price than that made by the licensed distilleries.

Material: copper

Size: H 838 mm x Circ 1626 mm

Sources: West Highland Museum