Leader: Wha’s like us… Marko Tayburn

THE popularity of Scotland’s national drink has led countries around the world such as Japan, India and Australia to produce their own single malt whiskies.

And yet, surprisingly, the Western Isles had yet to distil a legal drop of the amber nectar until last week.

Step forward businessman Marko Tayburn, who on Friday officially launched his three-year-old dram from the Abhainn Derarg (Red River) Distillery near Uig, on Lewis, to coincide with the start of this year’s Royal National Mod in Stornoway – dubbed by some the Whisky Olympics.

Casking began in 2008 but, as the product cannot be officially called Scotch single malt until it has matured for three years in Scotland, it had to wait until now to be released.

Tayburn can boast his drink is in a class of its own as it does not fall into any of the five malt regions defined by Scotch whisky regulations.

And he hopes to produce 10,000 bottles a year by 2013 – providing a shot in the arm for the local economy.