Whisky giant Diageo yesterday handed out nearly £600,000 to good causes on the island of Islay.
The cash was raised through sales of a special edition of Lagavulin single malt, bottled to mark its 200th anniversary.
Selling at £1,494 each, the 522 bottles from a single cask brought in £588,395, with the first bottle auctioned for £8,395.
The principal beneficiary, with a grant of £318,395 was Islay Heritage, a new initiative established to explore, conserve and promote the island’s historical and archaeological sites.
Restoration and conservation of around 700 acres of peatlands on Islay is also being funded in recognition of the role peat plays in the creation of Lagavulin and other whiskies there.
A total of seven good causes, ranging from the local swimming pool to a cyber cafe, will benefit from the Lagavulin Legacy fund.
Dr Nick Morgan, Diageo’s head of whisky Outreach, who led the Lagavulin 200th anniversary project, said: “The Lagavulin Legacy fund is not about making donations, it is about investing in the rich fabric of the Islay community.
“That’s why we’ve chosen a range of charities to support from very local community good causes, to the ambitious new Islay Heritage project which aims to really put Islay on the map as one of the world’s most important archaeological and historical destinations.”
Georgie Crawford, Lagavulin Distillery manager, added: “The celebrations for Lagavulin’s 200th anniversary last year were fantastic, but the absolute highlight of it all is to be able to hand over such a significant financial contribution to these good causes.”