Skye, Carbost, Talisker Distillery, interior. Still House: View from E-S-E along front of stills, with three low wines/ spirit Stills on left, and two wash stills (right). Digital image of C 24389 CN

Description Skye, Carbost, Talisker Distillery, interior. Still House: View from E-S-E along front of stills, with three low wines/ spirit Stills on left, and two wash stills (right). Digital image of C 24389 CN

Date 1994

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

Catalogue Number SC 741065

Category On-line Digital Images

Copy of C 24389 CN

Scope and Content Still house from east-south-east, 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 the still house with its five copper pot stills The three squat stills nearest to the camera are 'low wines' stills, and are used for the first distillation of the wash from fermentation. The taller stills are used for the second, or spirit distillation. Wash is heated in the stills until the alcohol rises as vapour to be condensed in the worm tubs outside. Talisker is mentioned in the Robert Louis Stevenson poem 'The Scotsman's Return from Abroad', written in 1880 when the distillery was growing in fame and prosperity: 'But maistly thee, the bluid o Scots/Frae Maidenkirk to John o Grots/The king o'drinks, as I conceive it/Talisker, Islay or Glenlivet'. Source: RCAHMS contribution to SCRAN.

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/collection/741065

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