[3] Slee, a 'stiff, fresh faced man of great endurance',[4] was of Irish descent[5] but originally came from Borrowdale[1] and lived in Little Langdale for most of his life.
Slee operated multiple illicit stills for production of moonshine whisky which he sold for 10 shillings per gallon, or smuggled with pack horses via Wrynose Pass and Hardknott to Ravenglass.
[7] A still beneath Low Arnside Farm was connected to an underground pipe so that the steam produced seemingly emanated from a hedge in a nearby field.
[1] He was convicted at least twice although his stills and stashes of moonshine were hardly ever found by the excise men[6] and his wit led to hilarious episodes in the Ambleside courtrooms.
[12] They produce a range of distilled drinks inspired by Slee, saying "We discovered his ingredients from 1841 court records and ... using historic production methods we have reimagined his Moonshine Vodka ...