Lagavulin's 200-year anniversary boost to island of Islay Published duration 2 January 2017

image copyright Christopher Bruce/Geograph

A whisky distillery plans to invest £580,000 in community projects to mark its 200 years on the island of Islay.

Lagavulin is launching a single cask edition of 522 bottles of its single malt to raise funds for local projects.

Sales of the £1,494 bottles are set to see £310,000 donated to Islay Heritage to help build a story of the island's past based on its archaeological sites.

The Finlaggan Trust, which maintains the historical home of the Lord of the Isles, should also receive £60,000.

The Lagavulin 200 Legacy is set to make further contributions to the local swimming pool, cyber cafe and arts and festival organisations, as well as a new partnership with the RSPB to restore and conserve peatlands on the island.

Nick Morgan, of Lagavulin's owners Diageo, said: "We have had a fantastic year celebrating the 200th anniversary of Lagavulin, both on Islay and with the hundreds of thousands of people around the world who adore the whisky.

"Islay and its remarkable local community are at the heart of Lagavulin.

"That's why we were determined there should be a legacy from the anniversary which would directly benefit the island and its people.

"We believe that our contribution to Islay Heritage is not only of great significance to the island itself but is an important contribution to conserving and promoting the history and heritage of Scotland."

Island's monuments

Bottles of the Lagavulin 1991 Single Malt Scotch Whisky cask can only be purchased through an online ballot on The Whisky Exchange

The first bottle will be auctioned separately to raise more charitable funds, and one bottle will be donated to the Diageo Archive and the Whisky Exchange.

Steven Mithen, trustee of Islay Heritage and professor of archaeology, said: "Islay Heritage is hugely grateful to the Lagavulin 200 Legacy for the support it is providing to further our knowledge about the archaeological sites and monuments on Islay.

"This investment in our heritage will greatly benefit both the local community and visitors to the island.

"While some of Islay's sites and monuments are very well known and accessible, others are virtually unknown, difficult to find and rarely visited.

"There are no doubt many more waiting to be discovered which will help tell us more about not only Islay's story but that of Scotland, Europe and the path of human culture as a whole.