Seaham has an historic association with the illicit movement of spirits. There are tales of brandy being smuggled into Seaham in the 18th and 19th centuries before the area was dominated by coal mining.

Custom duties were high on luxury items, one of the means of raising money to pay for costly wars with continental Europe.

Part of Seaham’s Blast Beach is known as ‘Frenchman’s Cove’ and ‘Ginney’s Dene’, one of the waymarked routes down onto the beach today, is thought to have provided good cover for moving illicit goods.

There are numerous limestone caves along the shore with some believed to have evidence of contraband with line marks on rock faces indicating the volume of goods stored. 

There was a new twist to this association during the roaring 20s and the post World War I era.

Prohibition had been introduced in the United States, in place from 1920 to 1933. Producing, transporting, importing and selling alcoholic drinks was banned.

However, those willing to take risks saw potential for illicit trade and large profits.  

At this time the Londonderry family, owners of Seaham Hall had moved all their possessions out of the building. The family had allowed its use as a military hospital and rehabilitation centre during World War 1 but no longer needed personal use of it. They continued to keep a house in London, their estate at Mount Stewart in Northern Ireland, and Wynyard Hall in County Durham. These days Mount Stewart is a National Trust property, and Wynyard Hall, 30 miles from Seaham Hall, is an event venue with its extensive parkland and exquisite walled garden open to the public.

Whilst the Londonderrys were contemplating what to do with Seaham Hall, Alec Harvey, a Scotch whisky distiller and trader saw an opportunity. 

Alec was part of the Harvey whisky family, which had been distilling whisky since 1770, first in Glasgow and then also on the Scottish Hebridean island of Islay. Financial difficulties led to the mothballing of their distilleries in 1907. They were unable to take advantage of increased prices for whisky during World War I because distillery licenses were issued on a quota basis based on pre-war production levels. The family business succeeded in starting distilling again in 1919 and spotted a new business venture.

Through marriage the family had associations with Sunderland and were familiar with Seaham Hall, its proximity to the coast and were aware that in essence it was abandoned. Alec Harvey saw an opportunity to get Harvey produced whisky, under the SPEY brand, into the United States. Creativity was required. Smuggling from Scotland was possible but many of the whisky companies needed to be careful not wanting to be seen to be flaunting USA law.

Alec Harvey illicitly used the cellar of Seaham Hall to store and bottle whisky, before it was smuggled out onto ships bound for North America. Most of the whisky taken into the United States at this time was landed in Canada and then transported overland. Alec was also one of the final customers of the Londonderry Glassworks before it closed in 1921, bulk buying bottles for whisky.

Lucrative business links were developed in Chicago and New York, with many of the American gangland criminals who came to the fore during Prohibition as clientele. This included the likes of Belle Livingston, owner of the Country Club; and Owney Madden, owner of the Cotton Club, both in Manhattan, New York. In Chicago customers included Al Capone and George Remus. Clandestine enjoyment of SPEY whisky was savoured in 1920s America. 

These days Harvey’s SPEY whisky is available in the USA legitimately, with the United States a key international market, alongside Europe and countries in Asia such as Taiwan.

The brand has royal connections, ironically because of Lord Byron, whose short lived marriage took place at Seaham Hall. In 1815 Lord Byron married Annabelle Milbank of Seaham Hall, and in celebration gifted a cask of the Harvey family’s whisky, most likely SPEY to King George III. Records show that the cask was sent to Kew Palace which at the time served as a private family retreat. 

This royal connection is marked today through the limited edition SPEY Royal Choice, the ‘jewel in the crown’ of the SPEY single malt range. It’s produced in partnership with Historic Royal Places, the charity that has stewardship of the Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace, Banqueting House, Kensington Palace and Kew Palace.

The Harvey’s brand of whisky continues to be lovingly produced to a traditional, secret, family-only recipe known as the ‘Harvey’s Codex’. The recipe was finalised in 1856 by Alec’s ancestors John and Robert Harvey. It includes methods for malting, distilling, the selection of Highland water and the specification for wood and casks for it to be stored in. 

The Harvey’s SPEY Whisky brand is a Speyside whisky, produced along the River Spey. Speyside is surrounded by the Highlands so distilleries in this region have the option to label their whisky as either ‘Speyside’ or ‘Highland’. Fans of the BBC production The Night Manger, may have spotted that in Series Two one of the main characters requests that his whisky is a glass of Speyside. No names mentioned to avoid a spoiler alert. 

Today Seaham Hall celebrates its association with Alec Harvey through the naming of Harvey’s Bar, a space in the hotel where spirits can be savoured.