Skye, Carbost, Talisker Distillery. Elevated view along South-West side of Still House, looking onto five wooden worm tubs.

Description Skye, Carbost, Talisker Distillery. Elevated view along South-West side of Still House, looking onto five wooden worm tubs.

Date 1994

Collection Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu

Catalogue Number C 24404

Category Photographs and Off-line Digital Images

Copies SC 741043

Scope and Content Wooden worm tubs on south-west side of still house, Talisker Distillery, Skye, Highland Talisker Distillery, the only single malt distillery on Skye, was established in 1830 by brothers Hugh and Kenneth MacAskill. It was renovated 1880-7, and expanded in 1900. Triple distillation was abandoned in 1928 in favour of double distillation, in common with most other Scottish distilleries. After a fire in 1960 most buildings were replaced, but the distillery's maltings were demolished in 1972. This shows five wooden worm tubs. Within each vessel cold water circulates around a coiled copper pipe (the 'worm') which narrows in diameter as it extends into the tub. Alcohol rising as vapour from the heated wash in the copper pot stills inside the still house is condensed into spirit using this traditional method. The early home-made stills used by illicit distillers hidden in the mountains used small copper worms inside barrels as their condensers. The still and worm were together known as 'the ewe with the crooked horn'. If discovered by the excisemen, these parts would be the first things to be destroyed, as they were vital for the manufacturing process and very expensive. Source: RCAHMS contribution to SCRAN.

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