NMS toasts £250,000 grant to research early Scots

Published on Tuesday 4 December 2007 00:56

THE Glenmorangie Company, maker of the best- selling single malt whisky in Scotland, launched a three-year, £250,000 scheme yesterday to fund research into the earliest Scots, particularly the mysterious Picts.

It is Glenmorangie's first foray into cultural sponsorship. Rival Glenfiddich - the biggest selling malt in the global market - is a major arts backer, inviting artists to work at its Highlands distillery. Glenmorangie has linked up with National Museums Scotland (NMS) to fund an archeology research post for three years.

Work will run from NMS's collection of stones and jewellery to the distillery's home in Ross-shire, rich in Pictish standing stones and early-Christian artefacts. A book or exhibitions could follow.

Hamish Torrie, the Glenmorangie marketing manager, said: "It's about revealing the early culture of Scotland, the Pictish culture. It's the whole cultural connect. We're very much associated with Scotland, and it's another way of expressing that."

The NMS collection includes eighth century Hilton of Cadboll Stone, discovered near Glenmorangie House. A Pictish design from the stone is used in the labelling of Glenmorangie's bottle.

While mead and other fermented drinks were in Scotland from the eighth century or earlier, there's little evidence to show when Scots, or Picts, first enjoyed a dram.

"Archeologically, distilling is difficult to prove," said Dr Andy Heald, curator of early historic collections at NMS.

He said the partnership with Glenmorangie is "helping us to tell an important part of the story of early Scotland".