Hello and welcome to Stories of Scotland, a podcast where we swim in the seas of Scottish history, mythology and culture. I'm Annie. And I'm Jenny, and this water is freezing, Annie. It's also a dangerous spot for a paddle,

as this week we're looking at illicit, illegal water. The water of corruption, fire water,

or as we also know it, Uska Veyha, the water of life. Whiskey. Yes, of course.

But this whiskey isn't coming from just anywhere.

We are going to the Shabeen.

Now, the Shabin is essentially an illegal whiskey house.

And I first learned of Shabines in Nucleus,

the Nuclear Cates Ness archives, which are up in Wic. Now, I was looking through

police constable archives, which I find really intriguing, because I like to look at historic crimes.

What's like a classic historic crime, breaking the spokes and someone's wagon wheels?

Well, one of the more common crimes in Wick

was sailors are men who were meant to be part of a ship's crew

refusing to go back to sea.

And then the law would have to step in.

And just put them, push them onto the boat.

It's like the reverse of a gangplank.

You're going back on that boat plank.

Or they'd find them or lock them up.

Either or.

Anyway, one time I was deep in a Victorian Northern Constabulary Criminal Charges book,

which is the record of all of the crimes of Keith Ness.

And I find a reference to Ashabeen.

...