Illicit distilling has always been a significant part of the Argyll local economy, in addition to agriculture and fishing, trades and the military, and our parish will be no different.
This grew after 1786 when heavy tariffs began to be implemented. Before this there was a thriving legal whisky trade in parts of Argyll, even being used in rents.
In Argyll as a whole, it is suggested that 20,000 bolls of bere became whisky in a year at the end of the 1700's.
This conflicted with the need for grains for the population, as the wars in France had significantly affected the imports of any food or wine.
By 1800 it was likely that half the spirits drank in Scotland came from illicit stills.
Both the Dukes of Argyll and Breadalbane were noted for their
The Duke of Argyll implemented a rental of grain in kind rather than cash in 1800, but many tenants ended up in Inveraray Jail for illicit distilling.
The Illicit Distillation Act of 1822 placed landowners in a position of culpability for any illicit stills on their estate. Thousands of court cases were heard in the following years, including |one involving a number of men of Barbreck, Kilchrenan in 1824
Smuggling was also big business in Ardchattan, with Loch Etive being a very busy thoroughfare for ships trading locally and from across the world.
We can commend Charles Hunters book : Smuggling in West Argyll & Lochaber: Before 1745 - with significant contribution from the records of Ardchattan Estate, the activities of Campbell of Inveresregan, and Loch Etive as a scene for ship movements of dubious legality.
This webpage is from Ireland .. what were the differences ? https://www.celticwhiskeyshop.com/blog/Poitin,%20Ireland,%20history
Whisky Still in Carnasserie http://www.wosas.net/news/carnasserie.html
Historic Argyll - 2007 Whisky and Resistance: The Archaeology of Illicit Distilling. Michael Given http://www.lahsoc.org.uk/journals/journal_2007/Whisky%20and%20Resistance.pdf
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