200-year-old smuggler’s secret whisky distillery found underground By Talker News May 12, 2026 17 hrs ago Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Copper alloy collar found at illicit whisky site discovered recently. (National Trust for Scotland via SWNS) By Elizabeth HunterThe remains of a 200-year-old whisky smuggler's secret distillery have been discovered by archaeologists. × This page requires Javascript. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. kAm%96 DE@?6 DECF4EFC6 7@F?5 :? k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]?ED]@C8]F<^G:D:E^A=246D^36?\=2H6CDQ E2C86ElQ03=2?<Q C6=lQ?@C676CC6C ?@@A6?6CQmq6? {2H6CD }2E:@?2= }2EFC6 #6D6CG6k^2m W}}#X H2D FD65 2D 2 D:E6 7@C >2<:?8 3@@K6[ 6IA6CED D2J]k^AmkAmp A:646 @7 2 4@AA6C DE:== 92D 366? 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E96 H2==D 4@==2AD65 @? E@A @7 :E]k^AmkAm%96C6 2C6 7:G6 <?@H? :==:4:E H9:D<J 3@E9:6D @? E96 q6? {2H6CD }}#[ H9:49 :D 42C65 7@C 3J E96 }2E:@?2= %CFDE 7@C $4@E=2?5[ 3FE E96 5:D4@G6CJ @7 E96 A:646 @7 4@AA6C DE:== :D F?:BF6 E@ E9:D D:E6]k^AmkAmx? E96 `fg_D[ F?=:46?D65 AC:G2E6 5:DE:==2E:@?[ H9:49 925 6I:DE65 :? k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^E2=<6C]?6HD^a_ad^_c^ag^2C4926@=@8:DED\7:?5\6G:56?46\@7\62C=:6DE\9F>2?D\:?\D4@E=2?5^Qm$4@E=2?5k^2m 7@C 46?EFC:6D 2?5 @? H9:49 >2?J w:89=2?5 E6?2?ED C6=:65[ H2D 564=2C65 :==682=]k^AmkAm#2E96C E92? A2J E96 E2I[ 5:DE:==6CD 2?5 D>F88=6CD H6?E E@ 8C62E =6?8E9D E@ 6G256 E96 6I4:D6 @77:46CD[ >@G:?8 E96:C :==:4:E DE:==D 2?5 9:556? 3@E9:6D :?E@ FA=2?5 2C62D E@ 2G@:5 56E64E:@?]k^AmkAms6C6< p=6I2?56C[ E96 }2E:@?2= %CFDE 7@C $4@E=2?5VD w625 @7 pC4926@=@8J[ D2:5i Q%9:D :D 2 H@?56C7F= 6I2>A=6 @7 9@H k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^E2=<6C]?6HD^a_ad^_d^_`^7246\@7\C@>2?\8=25:2E@C\<:==65\3J\=:@?\C6G62=65\3J\7@C6?D:4\2CE:DE^Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Q C6=lQ?@C676CC6C ?@@A6?6CQm2C4926@=@8Jk^2m 42? E6== 2 8C:AA:?8 DE@CJ @7 DA:C:E D>F88=:?8 E92E H@F=5 @E96CH:D6 92G6 366? =@DE E@ E:>6]k^Am More from this section +6 Study suggests culture vultures age better +6 Research reveals how sexy dating profile photos can backfire +3 World’s oldest candy shop still selling treats from 1820s kAmQx? E96 62C=J `hE9 46?EFCJ[ :==:4:E H9:D<J 5:DE:==:?8 :? E96D6 9:==D 3642>6 2 C62= 32EE=6 @7 H:ED 36EH66? 6I4:D6 @77:46CD 2?5 5:DE:==6CD]k^AmkAmQ%@ 7:?5 E96 C6>2:?D @7 DE:==D :? E96D6 FA=2?5 2C62D[ J@F ?665 E@ E9:?< =:<6 2? 6I4:D6 @77:46C]k^Am Archaeology Trainee Alice Connelly with the timber post at illicit whisky still site. (National Trust for Scotland via SWNS) By Talker kAmQ%9@D6 H9@ 5:DE:==65 DA:C:E :? E9:D 3@E9J H:== 92G6 A:4<65 E96 =@42E:@? 42C67F==J E@ >2<6 DFC6 E96J H6C6 H6== 9:556?]k^AmkAmQ%9:D 3@E9J :D H6== 4@?462=65 2=@?8 @?6 2C> @7 E96 {2H6CD qFC?[ ?6DE=65 :? 2 3FC? 8F==J H96C6 E96C6VD 2 D=:89E 36?5 :? E96 3FC? E@ D9:6=5 E96 D:E6 7C@> 3@E9 FADEC62> 2?5 5@H?DEC62>]k^AmkAmQ%96 A6@A=6 H9@ 5:DE:==65 96C6 <?6H H92E E96J H6C6 5@:?8 2?5 :EVD A@DD:3=6 E96 DE:== H2D ?6G6C D6:K65 3J E96 2FE9@C:E:6D]k^AmkAmQx7 E96 DE:== 925 366? 7@F?5 3J E96 6I4:D6 @77:46CD[ E96 DE:== H@F=5VG6 366? E2<6? 2H2J 2?5 56DEC@J65]k^AmkAmQ$@[ E96 724E E92E H6VG6 7@F?5 E9:D 4@??64E:?8 A:646 96C6 DF886DED E96 DE:== H2D 5:D>2?E=65 :? 2 9FCCJ 2?5 :ED 4@>A@?6?ED H9:D<65 2H2J 3J E96 D>F88=6CD 2D E96J 5:DA6CD65]k^AmkAmQ%96 4@??64E:?8 A:646 >2J 92G6 366? 7@C8@EE6? :? E96 CFD9 2?5 =67E 369:?5]k^Am National Trust for Scotland Achaeology team and volunteers at the whisky still site. (National Trust for Scotland via SWNS) By Talker kAmQs:DE:==6CD @7 :==:4:E k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^E2=<6C]?6HD^a_ad^_b^a`^:?D:56\D4@E=2?5D\@=56DE\H9:D<J\5:DE:==6CJ^Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Q C6=lQ?@C676CC6C ?@@A6?6CQmH9:D<Jk^2m H@F=5VG6 EC2G6=65 =:89E 2?5 =67E =:EE=6 EC246 @7 E96:C 24E:G:EJ[ 2?5 D@ 2 7:?5 =:<6 E9:D :D 6DA64:2==J C2C6 2?5 6I4:E:?8]k^AmkAmQxE 8:G6D FD 2 8=:>AD6 :?E@ 2? 24E:G:EJ E92E H2D @?46 C:76 :? E96 9:==D @7 q6? {2H6CD 2?5 H9:49 H2D D66? 3J >2?J 2D 2? 24E @7 4@>>F?:EJ C6D:DE2?46]Qk^AmkAm%96 5:D4@G6CJ H2D >256 2D A2CE @7 2C4926@=@8:42= 6I42G2E:@?D F?56CE2<6? 2E AC6G:@FD=J F?6IA=@C65 D:E6D @? E96 9625H2E6CD @7 E96 {2H6CD qFC?[ ?62C {@492? ?2? r2E 2E q6? {2H6CD }}#]k^AmkAm!C6G:@FD DFCG6J H@C< 3J E96 #@J2= r@>>:DD:@? @? E96 p?4:6?E 2?5 w:DE@C:42= |@?F>6?ED @7 $4@E=2?5 W#rpw|$X — ?@H A2CE @7 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]9:DE@C:46?G:C@?>6?E]D4@E^Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Q C6=lQ?@C676CC6C ?@@A6?6CQmw:DE@C:4 t?G:C@?>6?E $4@E=2?5k^2m — 925 :56?E:7:65 E96D6 2D D:E6D @7 DFDA64E65 :==:4:E H9:D<J\5:DE:==:?8]k^Am Originally published on talker.news, part of the BLOX Digital Content Exchange. Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Tags Elizabeth Hunter Recommended for you Most Popular Local lawyer arrested for shoplifting from Home Depot Alleged murderer posts $1.5 million newly instated bond Horseshoe Bend to appeal AHSAA playoff decision 2 investigations net 4 drug arrests Thursday chase started with alleged domestic violence Local Weather Currently in Alexander City 55° 70° / 55° 4 AM 56° 5 AM 56° 6 AM 56° 7 AM 60° 8 AM 62°